For Alabama and Kentucky Basketball, the Stakes are Higher than Ever

The No. 7 Crimson Tide looks to nock another victory in the win column ahead of a tough SEC stretch, while the Wildcats seek to get back on track after starting the season 10-4.

Joey Blackwell | Jan 6, 2023

For Alabama and Kentucky Basketball, the Stakes are Higher than Ever /

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Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama basketball faces its toughest home test yet of the 2022-23 season on Saturday afternoon when the Kentucky Wildcats come to Coleman Coliseum. And for the Crimson Tide, it enters the game as heavy favorites.

Take a look at this headline from the Lexington Herald Leader, published on Wednesday:

First Scouting Report: Can UK earn a signature win with an upset at No. 7 Alabama?

Did you ever think that you would read a headline that reads like that one? Kentucky upsetting Alabama? The Crimson Tide a potential signature win for the Wildcats? Believe it or not, that's the situation laid out between the two programs when they face each other this weekend.

Last week, Kentucky suffered its fourth loss of the season — an 89-75 thumping at the hands of the now-ranked Missouri Tigers. While the Wildcats were able to bounce back and beat Louisville by over 20 points, it was hardly enough to keep them in the rankings.

Now, an unranked Kentucky team has to travel to Coleman Coliseum to face a 12-2 Alabama squad that is ranked No. 7 in both the AP Top 25 and the Coaches Poll. My, how the tables have turned.

In Alabama coach Nate Oats' first season with the Crimson Tide in 2019-20, Alabama lost at Kentucky in its single matchup of the season. The next year, the Crimson Tide bested the Wildcats in two games, completing a home/road sweep. Last season saw just the opposite, with Kentucky sweeping Alabama and giving Oats a 2-3 record against them since arriving in Tuscaloosa.

Oats and his team likely haven't forgotten about the two losses coach John Calipari and the Wildcats gave them last year. They also likely haven't forgotten about Calipari calling his university a 'basketball school' while dubbing Alabama a 'football school' — a comment that rubbed many Crimson Tide fans the long way and even upset some of the members of Big Blue Nation.

Basketball school? I thought we competed in the SEC? #4straightpostseasonwins https://t.co/xUoKmUeonH
— Mark Stoops (@UKCoachStoops) August 11, 2022

Regardless of all the underhanded comments and smack talk between the two teams, this Saturday's game is still simply what it's described as: a game between a college basketball blue-blood in Kentucky, and the new kid on the block in Alabama. Make no mistake, though: while the Wildcats might be having an atypical season thus far, they are far from a pushover.

And a 'signature win' at Alabama could be exactly what the team needs to get back on track.

While Brandon Miller might be leading both Alabama and the Southeastern Conference in points per game with 19.1, Kentucky forward Oscar Tshiebwe is not too far behind him with 16.8. Tshiebwe also leads the SEC in both field goal percentage and rebounds per game at 61.1 percent and 13.8, respectively.

The matchup between Tshiebwe and Alabama center Charles Bediako will be key in determining not just who wins the battle in the the paint, but ultimately who wins the basketball game.

Throw Wildcats guards Sahvir Wheeler — who leads the conference in assists per game at 6.8 — and Cason Wallace, and Kentucky has potential to be a tough time for the Crimson Tide. Wallace, like Wheeler, is a great distributor of the ball, ranking third in the SEC in assists with 3.9 per game and placing second on the Wildcats in points per game with 12.9. He's just as solid on the defensive end of the court, ranking fourth in the conference with 2.3 steals per game.

Comparing the full teams to each other, Alabama has the edge in two of three crucial categories on KenPom. The Crimson Tide ranks 17th in adjusted offense, 12th in defense and second in the country in tempo. Meanwhile, the Wildcats rank 14th in offense, but drop significantly down to 43rd in defense and a whopping 260th in tempo.

Alabama's roster brings a plethora of players of its own that will challenge Kentucky. The aforementioned Miller will likely be a problem all afternoon for the Wildcats, while forward Noah Clowney and guards Mark Sears and Jaden Bradley will provide an extra dimension to the offensive attack. No matter where the shooters are located, the Crimson Tide is capable of making shots fall.

The depth for Alabama at bench is arguably its biggest strength. Guards Jahvon Quinerly and Dom Welch bring tempo and shot-making ability to the table as well as Oats' signature blue-collar hustle, while forward Noah Gurley has slowly but surely improved his shot and is capable of giving Bediako rest when needed. Forward Nick Pringle and guard Rylan Griffen are also more than capable of giving quality minutes while Alabama's starting five take breathers.

None of that should be any news for Crimson Tide fans, but it's worth repeating: depth is where the team's strength lies. Kentucky might bring more star power to the table up-front, but Alabama has the advantage in the number of quality players it will bring with it to Coleman Coliseum on Saturday.

The game will likely come down to two key factors: tempo and depth. As mentioned previously, Alabama ranks significantly higher than Kentucky in tempo. If the Wildcats want to give the Crimson Tide problems, it's going to have to force it to slow down its pace. Historically, Oats-coached Alabama teams have oftentimes played their worst basketball when forced to play slower to adjust to an opponent. That could give the Wildcats its biggest shot at the upset.

The other factor is depth, which both Alabama and Kentucky have in droves. The edge goes to the Crimson Tide, but make no mistake: the players on the Wildcats' roster were recruited to play for Kentucky for a reason.

It might still be odd for college basketball fans to see a potential win for Kentucky over Alabama dubbed a 'signature win', let alone an upset. However, that's what's at stake for both the Crimson Tide and the Wildcats this weekend. Oats has a chance to bring his record against Kentucky while at Alabama to 3-3, while Calipari seeks to rekindle the fire of his program and begin a run in conference play.

The stakes are high in what is sure to be one of the best games in Coleman Coliseum all season.

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