🏀 Men's Basketball Falls to Top-Ranked Kentucky, 70-48

[Alabama Men's Basketball]

The Alabama's men's basketball team lost to No. 1Kentucky on Saturday afternoon, 70-48. The loss ends the Tide's home winning streak at 14 games, dating back to last year.

Alabama (12-5, 2-2 SEC) was led by Levi Randolph's game-high 13 points, which marked his 16thdouble-figure game of the season. Senior guard Rodney Cooper added 10, and Riley Norris contributed six.The Tide began the game on a high note as it immediately forced a turnover for a Randolph breakaway layup for an early 2-0 lead. However,Kentucky quickly responded and went on a 10-0 run with 8:59 left in the half to take a double-digit lead. The Tide could not cut the deficit and the top-ranked Wildcats led by 18 points, 35-17, at halftime.

"You have to give Kentucky credit. They came right out from the jump and did a great job," Alabama head coach Anthony Grant said. "They are an elite team from a defensive standpoint with their size and length. They are really difficult to get goods shots against."

Alabama came out of the locker room with a quick start, going on a 13-4 run to start the second half to cut the lead to 39-30 with 13:14 left, which energized the sell-out crowd in Coleman Coliseum.But minutes later, the Tide's Jimmie Taylor picked up his fourth foul to force him to the bench. Kentucky (17-0, 4-0) then took advantage of the Tide's lack of size inside and went on an 18-4 run over the next four-plus minutes to seize control of the contest.

"It changes what you can do defensively. We were able to get stops and get out in transition and cut into the lead a little bit," Grant said. "Our guys did a good job with that, but Kentucky has a lot of depth and a lot of really talented players. They came in and did a good job and stayed aggressive."

Alabama lost the battle of the boards, 30-21, and committed 15 turnovers, compared to 10 for the Wildcats. Kentucky's depth proved to be a big difference as well, outscoring its counterparts 37-16 on the evening.The Crimson Tide head to Fayetteville, Ark. on Thursday, Jan. 22.Alabama tips off against the No. 19 Arkansas Razorbacks at 6 p.m.

From Rolltide.com—Continue reading...

 

[TerryP]

I don't care what team is playing UK...they'll win every time with that stat line.

D.A.Y.U.M.

 

[Bamabww]

Alabama no match for No. 1 Kentucky

Cecil Hurt
TideSports.com Columnist

The Alabama men's basketball team had a brief moment on Saturday - a steal and layup by Levi Randolph, a lead that lasted for a few seconds, a roaring sellout crowd - and then faced reality. Wave after wave of reality.

The No. 1 ranked Kentucky Wildcats, using superior size, skill and execution, smothered Alabama for the rest of the first half and cruised to a 70-48 victory at Coleman Coliseum.

Any of several statistics would reflect Kentucky's dominance, but consider this one. The Wildcats won by the largest margin of any visiting team in Tuscaloosa in more than seven years without a single UK starter scoring in double figures, although three reserves did.

"Give Kentucky credit," Alabama head coach Anthony Grant said. "They are obviously the No. 1 team in the country for a reason. It's difficult to find good shots against them. I thought that was the difference in the game, in the first half. They've got a platoon of bigs they can throw at you."

With the score tied 4-4 after two minutes, UK went on an 8-0 run and Alabama never really got back into the contest, particularly after a six-minute scoring drought later in the half. The Wildcats extended their lead to 35-17 by intermission.

Alabama (12-5, 2-2 SEC) had its best run to begin the second half, outscoring UK 12-4 to cut the lead to single digits at 39-30. But Crimson Tide center Jimmie Taylor picked up his fourth foul and UK blew the game wide open with an 18-4 run.

"When Jimmie goes out, we're a little undersized and they were able to go inside," Grant said. "I thought we came out with good energy. Kentucky is trying to win, too, and they had good energy as well. We'll evaluate the film and get ready for our next game."

UK shot 50 percent, outrebounded Alabama 30-21 and had 14 assists to Alabama's four, pounding the ball inside and opening up the 3-point shot when Alabama tried to help.

"We knew they were going to be physical, so we wanted to go at them first," said Kentucky center Willie Cauley-Stein. "We wanted them to know they weren't going to throw us around."

"I told the guys if you don't throw it to the post, you're coming out," UK coach John Calipari said. "I told them they had a choice, they could play and defend like crazy and take a day off tomorrow so I could go watch my son, or you could practice. So they get a day off.

"I thought the game was won by Dakari (Johnson). He went in the game and went basket/basket and our guys went crazy. We platooned. They know their minutes, we get into a rhythm offensively and we have guys cheering for others instead of just tolerating them.

"We slowed the game down at the end just to get out of the gym," said Calipari, whose team was cheered off the court by thousands of UK fans in attendance.

Freshman Devin Booker came off the bench to score 13 points, while Johnson and Tyler Ulis each scored 11.

Randolph had 13 points to lead Alabama. The Crimson Tide's second-leading scorer, Ricky Tarrant, did not start due to what Grant called a "lower leg injury" and had just five points in 26 minutes.

The loss snapped Alabama's 10-game home winning streak and was Alabama's 20th straight loss against teams ranked in the AP Top 25.

https://alabama.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1726367

 

[BamaFan334]

View attachment 4200

I don't care what team is playing UK...they'll win every time with that stat line.

D.A.Y.U.M.

You're right, no one could survive that stat line. They may be able to beat the 76ers with that game. I know we always say no comparison in college and NFL, but basketball is different. Kentucky's starting five will all go pro, maybe first 7 or 8. They're tall and tough. I don't see anyone beating them.

 

[UAgrad93]

Calipari's toughest job will be to keep those kids focused for the 35+ games it will take to run the table.

 

[TerryP]

You're right, no one could survive that stat line. They may be able to beat the 76ers with that game. I know we always say no comparison in college and NFL, but basketball is different. Kentucky's starting five will all go pro, maybe first 7 or 8. They're tall and tough. I don't see anyone beating them.

I wouldn't be the least surprised if their first ten sign professional contracts. As crazy as this may sound, if one of them hits the D league you could argue they've been a bust so far.

They are NBA talent that Cal has playing some pretty damn good defense making this a really fun team to watch.

 

[Bamabww]

They are NBA talent

I watched them in 3 blow outs now and I don't know if I've ever seen a more dominant college BB team.

 

[alabama mike]

That UK team is a very impressive group to watch play hoops. They can write their own ticket in the NCAA as long as they are content with the minutes they are getting and the number of shots they get. If someone or several someone's get upset or feel left out, they will be their own worst enemy.

 

[TerryP]

I watched them in 3 blow outs now and I don't know if I've ever seen a more dominant college BB team.

Same here. I can't recall seeing a team this good in my lifetime.

There are only a few things (sporting events) in my lifetime that has made me stop what I was doing and tune in. As example, one of those was the McGuire/Sosa home run battle.

When I saw on twitter the other day A&M was about to take them to overtime I stopped, found a TV, and watched.

 

[TheChief]

Now I know how Kentucky feels when they watch football.

 

[psychojoe]

Ole Miss took them to OT because the Rebs burned it up from the three point line, and UK was a little off its game on offense.

UK's half court defense is as good as I have ever seen at the college level. We had a little success with the pick and roll, but mostly they stifled our offense. Even when we had our run early in the second half and cut their lead to nine, I had the feeling that they were toying with us. Once they put their foot back on the gas all we saw was their tail lights getting ever further away.

 

[TheChief]

Same here. I can't recall seeing a team this good in my lifetime.

There are only a few things (sporting events) in my lifetime that has made me stop what I was doing and tune in. As example, one of those was the McGuire/Sosa home run battle.

When I saw on twitter the other day A&M was about to take them to overtime I stopped, found a TV, and watched.

Terry, the Fab Five or maybe Houston's Phi-Slama-Jama (which won no titles). Magic's team at Michigan State was no slouch.

 

[TerryP]

Terry, the Fab Five or maybe Houston's Phi-Slama-Jama (which won no titles). Magic's team at Michigan State was no slouch.

Neither was that Indiana State team Sparty played for the NC that season...

I've seen all of them play with Houston's team being the one I had the least exposure to...the one thing that separates this UK team from those? Depth. I can't count the number of times I've seen Cal sub all five in and out this season. A little drop off, but still those 2's could win this conference...prolly any conference if they were as "on" as they were the other night.

 

[psychojoe]

Some of the UCLA teams of the late sixties and early seventies would be comparable. UNLV had a terrific run in the early nineties. None of these teams had the depth that this UK team has, however. That is all the more remarkable because just a few games ago they lost one of their upper classmen, Alex Poythress, for the season. He was a player we recruited very hard out of high school, but UK has not missed a beat without him.