Kentucky Falls to Alabama in SEC Tournament Quarterfinals
Andrew Carr scored 18 points and Amari Williams had 16, but Kentucky fell to Alabama 99-70 on Friday night in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
Kentucky (22-11) got 11 points from Travis Perry, who started in place of the injured Lamont Butler.
The Cats were unable to get much going offensively, making only 37.5 percent of its shots, including just 26.3 percent from behind the arc. Meanwhile, Alabama made 50.7 percent of its shots, including 37.9 percent from three-point range. The Crimson Tide forced 16 UK turnovers and were able to turn those into 29 points. Alabama had 10 turnovers and the Cats turned those into only six points.
Alabama (25-7) scored the first four points of the game before Williams made two free throws to cut the deficit in half. After an Alabama bucket, Otega Oweh broke free for a dunk to make it 6-4. Alabama would score again before a Koby Brea three made it 8-7. The Tide scored the next four to lead 12-7.
Carr scored on a layup to get the Cats within three, but Alabama answered with a bucket of its own. Perry then hit a three to get the Cats within two, and Carr scored again to tie the game at 14-14. The Tide would answer with nine consecutive points to lead 23-14.
Kentucky answered with a Trent Noah basket, a three from Brea and another bucket from Brea to get within two, 23-21. However, Alabama scored five in a row to take a 28-21 lead.
Williams hit two free throws before an Alabama three gave the Tide an eight-point lead. Perry answered with a three-point play, cutting the deficit to five, 31-26. After the Tide hit two free throws, Williams scored in the lane and the Cats trailed 33-28. Perry hit two of three at the line to get the Cats within three, but Alabama hit a three-pointer on the other end to lead 36-30.
Two more Williams free throws got the Cats within four but Alabama would score again to lead by six. Williams scored in the lane to make it 38-34 before the Tide scored four in a row. A Williams dunk cut the deficit to 42-36, but the Tide scored the next three to lead 45-36. Alabama would lead 45-38 at the half.
Alabama scored the first point of the second half before a Carr basket made it 46-40. After an Alabama three, Williams made two free throws and the Cats trailed 49-42. The Tide would score five in a row to lead 54-42 before another Carr basket got the Cats within 10. But Alabama would hit a three to lead by 13.
Carr scored again to cut the deficit to 57-46 but Alabama would answer with a basket of its own. After two Oweh free throws, the Tide scored again to lead 61-48. Oweh made two more free throws to get the Cats within 11 points, 61-50, but Alabama hit a three to lead 64-50.
Oweh hit two more free throws, but Alabama scored the next five points to lead 69-52. A Williams dunk stopped the run, but the Tide scored the next five to increase the lead to 20. A Carr three made it 74-57, but Alabama hit another deep three to again lead by 20.
Kentucky will find out its NCAA Tournament destination on Sunday evening.
