Kentucky basketball hit the road on Saturday for a top 20 showdown in Tuscaloosa against #4 Alabama. The Wildcats lost the first matchup in Rupp Arena due to a lack of stops down the stretch. Tonight, runs were a big story of the game. The Wildcats needed one late, but they let it slip away.

After leading 20-9 at the start of the game, the script really flipped after Alabama had a 29-10 run to close the first half, forcing the Wildcats to play catch-up, ultimately falling 96-83 in a game were they were once again without Lamont Butler and Jaxson Robinson.

The Wildcats were in very good shape to start the game, but around the 15-minute mark of the first half, Alabama began to chip away at the Kentucky lead, thanks to multiple scoring droughts by the Wildcats. They put themselves in a bad position on the road, playing catch-up with the #4 team in the country and one of the best offenses.

Alabama gained the lead with 5 minutes to go in the first half, and from there, Kentucky was forced to get back into the game, but let it slip in the second half. It didn’t help that Otega Oweh had had off night with just 2 points on 1-9 shooting, while also fouling out with around 10 minutes left. Collin Chandler also fouled out with just under three minutes left.

Looking back at the 29-10 run to end the first half, it was a very crucial moment in the game that helped really flip things, as the Wildcats led 30-18, and scored just 4 points in a 7-minute span. Kentucky couldn’t afford to have scoring droughts against an offense like Alabama, and the Crimson Tide were able to use Kentucky’s sloppy play throughout the game to their advantage.

Alabama had 24 points off 13 Kentucky turnovers, 14 of those points in the second half, which is when they extended to lead to go up comfortablely in the final minutes. Kentucky shot 43%, 9-26 3P, and 16-22 from the free-throw line. Alabama shot 52%, 11-31 3P, and an impressive 21-25 from the line. Mark Sears went 11-11 from the line for the Crimson Tide on his 30 points.

The Wildcats couldn’t get over the hump and let sloppy mistakes cost them late in the game to put the game just out of reach as the end got closer. Another game of runs in this matchup with Alabama, and it cost the Wildcats once again. Kentucky’s only two losses against top 15 teams this season so far have both come against the Crimson Tide.