Men's Basketball

KENTUCKY MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES 
ALABAMA at KENTUCKY
RUPP ARENA at CENTRAL BANK CENTER
JAN. 12, 2021 
ATTENDANCE: 3,075
 
Final Score: RV/24 Alabama 85, Kentucky 65
 
Team Records and Series Notes                                       

  • Kentucky ended a three-game winning streak and is now 4-7 overall, 3-1 in the Southeastern Conference. 
  • Alabama has won six in a row and is 10-3 overall, 5-0 in league play.
  • Kentucky leads the series 114-39. UK leads 58-11 in games played in Lexington, ending an eight-game win streak at home vs. the Tide.
  • Next: UK plays at Auburn on Saturday. Game time is 2 p.m. EST (1 p.m. CST in Auburn) and will be televised on ESPN.

Player Notes   

  • Isaiah Jackson tallied a season-high 14 points, his first double-figure game as a Wildcat, sparked by making 8 of 10 at the foul line.

    • He added six rebounds, tying for the team lead, and blocked seven shots, one off his career high.
  • Devin Askew had 12 points, his fifth double-figure game of the season.
  • Keion Brooks Jr. had 10 points and has scored in double figures both games since his return from injury.

Coach John Calipari 

  • Calipari is now 334-84 at UK.
  • Calipari has a 779-224 all-time on-court record. 
  • UK is 271-49 under Calipari against teams unranked in the Associated Press Top 25.

Team Notes 

  • Kentucky won the rebounding 44-36, leading to a 21-11 advantage in second-chance points.
  • UK continued its recent good free throw shooting, making 19 of 24 for 79.2%.
  • The 20-point margin was the largest home defeat since a 23-point loss to Indiana (75-52) at Rupp Arena on Dec. 20, 1988.
    • It was also Alabama’s largest margin of victory in Rupp Arena. 

In the First Half 

  • The starting lineup consisted of Devin Askew, Davion Mintz, Brandon Boston Jr., Keion Brooks Jr. and Olivier Sarr for the first time this season.  

    • Jacob Toppin and Dontaie Allen were the first substitutes at the 14:59 mark.
  • Alabama opened a pair of early six-point leads and never trailed in the game, although Kentucky tied it once at 17 each.
  • Alabama was ahead 23-22 when a 10-0 run made it 33-22.
  • The Crimson Tide led by as many as 14 points at 42-28 before settling for a 42-30 edge at half.
    • Alabama made 10 of 22 3-pointers in the first half, already tying the most 3s a UK opponent has made in a game this season.
    • Askew, who scored UK’s first six points, and Allen led UK in the first half with eight apiece.
    • UK is 2-4 this season when trailing at intermission.

 In the Second Half 

  • Kentucky opened the second half with Askew, Mintz, Boston, Brooks and Sarr.  
  • Alabama stretched the lead to 17 points at 53-36. 
  • Kentucky rallied within 11 points at 54-43 but got no closer.    
  • Alabama’s lengthened the lead to 20 points at 67-47. 
  • The Wildcats put together an 8-0 run and pulled within 12 points twice, at 67-55 and 69-57.
  • Alabama scored the last five points of the game and matched its largest lead with the final score of 85-65.


 

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