Live Updates: No. 25 Alabama Basketball at No. 4 Kentucky

Live stats, updates and analysis as the Crimson Tide look to make it back-to-back victories in Rupp Arena over the Wildcats.

For the first time this season, Alabama basketball is riding a three-game win streak within SEC play. With the three straight wins, the Crimson Tide is back above .500 in conference play and continues to climb in the SEC standings.

The next big test comes Saturday afternoon in a nationally televised game against No. 4 Kentucky at Rupp Arena. It will be the sixth time this season that Alabama plays a team ranked in the top-five at the time of the game.

It will mark exactly two weeks since the Crimson Tide and Wildcats met inside Coleman Coliseum which resulted in a 66-55 win for Kentucky. Alabama played well defensively in that game, but could not get any shots to fall offensively, shooting 3-30 from three. Freshman forward Charles Bediako led Alabama in scoring that day with 12 points, and the Wildcats were led by freshman guard TyTy Washington with 15.

Follow along below for live updates, stats and analysis as the No. 25 Crimson Tide take on the No. 4 Wildcats:

Second Half

(most recent update at the top)

Final: Kentucky 90, Alabama 81

• After leading for the first 18 minutes of the game, this game slips away from the Crimson Tide. Kentucky rallies for the 90-81 victory. 
• Following some demoralizing points inside for the Wildcats, Shackelford makes a second chance three from the left wing. Timeout Alabama with under a minute. Kentucky leads 90-81. 
• Gurley converts an and-one dunk, bringing Alabama back within single digits. 
• Grady drains the Alabama momentum with a deep three. Kentucky regains control, 85-73. 
• Offensively, Alabama is being more aggressive, and it is paying off as the Crimson Tide has chipped the lead to 80-73. 
• Once again, Ellis sinks it from three. 78-69 Kentucky leads by single digits. 
• Ellis sinks his sixth three of the day. He now has a career-high 23 points. Kentucky up by 12 with seven minutes to go. 
• Shackelford makes a three from the top of the key, Alabama's second of the half (2-of-10). The shot ends scoring drought that spanned over four minutes for the Crimson Tide. 74-61 Kentucky leads. 
• Jusuan Holt is getting his first minutes for Alabama. 
• That's a 17-2 run for Kentucky, and Alabama can't find a spark to bring the run to an end. The Kentucky lead is up to 71-58. 
• The Wildcats are outscoring Alabama 22-12 in the second half, as Alabama has been less than impressive defensively. 
• Kentucky has made its last six shots as Tshiebwe and Grady have outmatched Alabama early on in the second half. 67-58 Wildcat lead. 
• Media timeout as Kentucky gets the crowd excited off an alley-oop finish followed by an Alabama turnover on the inbound. 59-56 Kentucky leads. 
• The Crimson Tide splurges for an 8-0 run with scoring from its guards. 56-54 Alabama regains the lead. 
• The Wildcats take advantage of two Alabama turnovers with points inside on the other end. Kentucky leads 51-48. 
• Kentucky will begin the second half with momentum and a one-point lead after closing the first half on a 13-0 run. 

First Half

• Halftime: Kentucky 47, Alabama 46

No. 25 Alabama at No. 4 Kentucky First Half Photos

Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

• Kentucky now has its first lead of the game thanks to just its third 3-pointer of the game. 47-46 Wildcats with :41 seconds left in the first half.
• A 10-0 run by Kentucky has put the Wildcats back in the game in the final minutes of the first half. 46-44 Crimson Tide with 1:15 left in the first 20 minutes.

• At the under-4 media timeout, Alabama leads Kentucky 44-34. The Crimson Tide is 9-of-18 from beyond the arc (50%) and is 16-of-30 from the floor (53%). The Wildcats have only attempted four 3-pointers in the first half, sinking two of them.

• A 6-0 run by Alabama forced Calipari to call Kentucky's second timeout of the half. 41-28 Crimson Tide with 5:33 to go in the first half.

• It seems like every time this is updated, it's because of another 3-pointer by Ellis. The circumstances haven't changed. Ellis is now 5-for-5 from beyond the arc.

• Make that 4-for-4 from deep for Ellis. 32-22 Alabama.

• Ellis is now 3-of-3 from beyond the arc. 29-19 Alabama at the 10:37 mark.

• Noah Gurley picks up his first basket of the game, a 3-pointer from the top of the arc. 26-17 Alabama.

• Shackelford's second 3 of the game forces John Calipari to call a timeout. 23-15 Crimson Tide at the 12:39 mark.

• Another 3-pointer by Ellis. Note: the Crimson Tide has already hit more 3s today (4) than it did over the course of its entire game against the Wildcats earlier this season (3).

• Alabama has come out of the gate swinging on offense. At the first media timeout, the Crimson Tide leads the Wildcats 17-9. All five of Alabama's starters are on the board, led by Ellis with 5 points.

• Juwan Gary hits a 3. The Crimson Tide is now 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. 15-9 Alabama.

• And now Keon Ellis shoots a 3 for himself. 6-2 Crimson Tide.

• A deep 3-pointer from Jaden Shackelford opens the scoring. Alabama had two offensive rebounds on its first possession that allowed for the bucket.

• Alabama wins the opening tip, and we are underway.

Pregame

• Neither the Wildcats' Sahvir Wheeler nor Tyty Washington participated in today's shootaround, indicating that they will likely not be playing in today's game against the Crimson Tide.

• Today's officials: Pat Adams, Keith Kimble, Olandis Poole.

• During the pregame show on CBS, NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee Chair and Southland Conference Commissioner Tom Burnett said that Alabama was considered for the 4-seed line alongside Houston and Ohio State.

• Jerry Palm projects the Crimson Tide in the East Region (Kansas' bracket) as a 5-seed.

• Starting five for Kentucky: Kellan Grady, G; Oscar Tshiebwe, F; Davion Mintz, G; Jacob Toppin, F; Keion Brooks, Jr., F.

• Alabama has concluded its pregame warmups:

Almost Time 😤#RollTide | #BlueCollarBasketball pic.twitter.com/YSPye45kxm

— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) February 19, 2022

• CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein: "Kentucky's TyTy Washington (leg) and Sahvir Wheeler (right upper extremity) are both OUT for today's game against Alabama, per release."

Alabama Starting Lineup vs Kentucky

USA Today

Jahvon Quinerly, Guard

Alabama Athletics

Juwan Gary, Forward

Photo | Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Jaden Shackelford, Guard

Alabama Athletics

Charles Bediako, Center

Alabama Athletics

Keon Ellis, Guard

How to Watch

Who: No. 25 Alabama (17-9, 7-6 SEC) vs. No. 4 Kentucky (21-5, 10-3 SEC)

When: 12 p.m. CT, Saturday

Where: Rupp Arena, Lexington, Kentucky

TV: CBS

Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network with Chris Stewart (play-by-play), Bryan Passink (analyst) and Roger Hoover (sideline) on the call. The pregame show will begin one hour prior to tipoff.

Last time out, Alabama: The Crimson Tide led for majority of the game against Mississippi State Wednesday night before Nate Oats was called for two technical fouls with the second resulting in an ejection. The Bulldogs built up a seven-point lead with just under eight minutes to go before Alabama went on an 18-2 run to retake the lead and ultimately win the game 80-75. Jahvon Quinerly had a 50 percent shooting night from the floor and finished with 21 points to lead the team. Bediako had a career high 15 points and six blocks in the win.

Last time out, Kentucky: The Wildcats got blown out by No. 16 Tennessee in Knoxville Tuesday night. The Volunteers pretty much dominated from start to finish, holding a double-digit lead more most of the game. Washington has been dealing with a lingering lower leg injury and only played 13 minutes for Kentucky against Tennessee. He left the game in the second half and did not return. His status is unclear for the Alabama game.

The series: This will be the 156th meeting between Alabama and Kentucky on the hardwood. The Wildcats lead the all-time series 115-40. The Crimson Tide swept the regular season series in 2021, but Kentucky won the most recent matchup on Feb. 5. Prior to the win last season, Alabama had not won in Rupp Arena since 2006.