A disastrous final four minutes of Tuesday's game at Alabama saw Kentucky waste a golden opportunity to build some much-needed momentum late in the Wildcats' frustrating season.
The Crimson Tide outscored Kentucky 18-5 down the stretch, turning a two-point deficit into a 70-59 win to remain undefeated in league play.
No. 9 Alabama (14-3, 9-0 SEC) got 21 points from Jaden Shackleford and a 13-point, nine-rebound, eight-assist effort from Herbert Jones to record its first season sweep of UK since 1989-89.
The Tide won their 10th straight game without their trademark barrage of 3-pointers, making only six of 20 on the night and shooting just 39% from the field.
Alabama won despite going the first 11:12 of the second half without making a bucket, leaning on defense and a 22-of-26 effort at the free-throw line to hang around until the decisive final four minutes.
Kentucky (5-10, 4-4 SEC) held Alabama to 12 points under its season scoring average but once again struggled at its own goal. The Cats shot 35% from the field and committed 17 turnovers leading to 20 points for the Tide.
"Our record is hard to look at, but we’ve got to think next game and learn from our mistakes," said UK center Olivier Sarr, who was one of three Cats with 12 points on the night, joining Dontaie Allen and Davion Mintz.
It was a much more competitive game than the first matchup between the teams. Alabama won 85-65 on Jan. 12 at Rupp Arena, but that was little consolation for a UK squad with wounded pride this season.
"This team isn’t giving up, they’re not quitting, they’re fighting," UK coach John Calipari said. "They just don’t know how to finish a game, mentally or physically, yet. And I’ve just got to keep working on it.”
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RAPID RECAP:
Kentucky led 54-52 after Davion Mintz's 3-pointer with 4:27 remaining and had the ball with a chance to build on it, but Dontaie Allen missed a wide-open 3-pointer from the right corner. From that point on, it was a familiar late-game mess for the Cats. Alabama tied the game when UK's Isaiah Jackson fouled Herbert Jones 40 feet from the basket attempting to make a steal. BJ Boston turned the ball over on the ensuing possession, leading to a runout basket to put the Tide up for good. Sensing the game was spiraling out of control, UK coach John Calipari called a timeout to calm the Cats and set up a play. Again, Kentucky failed to cash in as Mintz missed a good look for 3 at the top of the key. Jaden Shackleford scored on a goal-tended drive to the basket to put his team up four. Kentucky's Jackson turned it over, and Alabama got a pair of free throws from Shackleford with 1:36 remaining to go up six. The Tide hit their final 12 free throws to ice the game.
GAME BALL:
Herbert Jones, Alabama -- The Crimson Tide's talented big man flirted with a triple-double, coming up just one rebound and two assists shy of the feat. He also threw in two blocked shots and two steals for good measure.
KEY STAT:
Kentucky was once again its own worst enemy in the turnovers column, committing 17 turnovers leading to 20 points for the Crimson Tide.
QUOTABLE:
"“Yeah, it is, because we’ve got all kind of games left. We’re going to have six or seven ranked teams. I mean, what happens to us (when) Terrence (Clarke) comes back and all the sudden we’re a different team? My belief is let’s just put ourselves in a better position." -- UK coach John Calipari when asked if it's too early to suggest winning the SEC Tournament is the Cats' only way into the NCAA Tournament.
UP NEXT:
Kentucky returns to action on Saturday in the Big 12-SEC Challenge against Texas at Rupp Arena. The No. 5 Longhorns (11-3) lost 90-89 on Tuesday to No. 24 Oklahoma in a game without Texas head coach Shaka Smart, who has tested positive for Covid-19.
