Three Facts:
1. Time: 7 p.m. EST on ESPN.
2. Series: UK leads the all-time series against Alabama 106-37. The Crimson Tide haven't won at Rupp Arena since 2006. The line on Tuesday has the Cats as a 13.5-point favorite.
3. Records: Kentucky is 20-7 (10-4 SEC). Last game: 79-77 overtime loss at Texas A&M.
Alabama is 16-10 (7-7 SEC). Last game: 67-61 loss vs. Mississippi State.
Three Keys:
1. Injury Bug: The Cats are banged up. Alex Poythress has missed five consecutive games and it's unclear if he's going to play Tuesday. It seems unlikely but even if the senior forward gives it a go how long will John Calipari keep him in the game? Derek Willis will be out with a badly sprained ankle suffered at Texas A&M. Kentucky's frontcourt has never been its strength, so what happens if two of its most important pieces are out?
Who will step up? Marcus Lee? Isaac Humphries had a solid performance before a heartbreaking finish on Saturday. Will Skal Labisisere see it as a chance to finally turn the corner? UK will need some help.
2. Open Obasohan: Retin Obasohan is the go-guy for Alabama. He will have to have a big game for the Crimson Tide if they're going to pull the upset. In the first meeting, a blowout win at Alabama for the Cats, Obasohan had a solid outing but missed some open shots he normally makes. He's going to try and get to the line and if he's hitting at Rupp Arena the game could become interesting. he's the player the Cats will want to lock down.
3. Desperation: Alabama has been one of the biggest surprises this season. Led by first-year head coach Avery Johnson, it seemed he may be on his way to SEC Coach of the Year while the Tide were moving in the right direction towards an NCAA Tournament berth. Alabama had won five straight, including a win vs. Texas A&M, at Florida and at LSU and were seemingly on the right side of the bubble.
Then Alabama suffered a head-scratching loss at home against mediocre Mississippi State. The Crimson Tide will need to make up for that loss and a win at Kentucky would do just that. Alabama will be desperate on Tuesday and give UK its best shot. How will the Cats respond?
Three Quotes:
1. Tony Barbee on if the A&M loss is lingering: “I don’t think so. I think this team has a pretty strong resolve. We were all crushed in that immediate 24 hours after the game, but we have since moved on to Alabama.”
2. Tony Barbee on how Alabama is different: "They start a totally different lineup than when we played them. They're shooting a ton more threes than when we played them. So they're a fairly different team. Shannon Hale, who's a fantastic player, wasn't playing particularly well at that time when we played them, and now he's a guy that they're going through offensively. Obviously, (Retin) Obasohan is the straw that stirs their drink, but Shannon Hale is a guy that's really sparked them in the run that they had because of the level he's playing at."
3. Avery Johnson on UK: "Kentucky is an unbelievable offensive rebounding team. Their two guards, Ulis and Murray, they basically combine for 40 and 50 points on any given night. Briscoe does a great job penetrating and getting inside your defense."
1. Time: 7 p.m. EST on ESPN.
2. Series: UK leads the all-time series against Alabama 106-37. The Crimson Tide haven't won at Rupp Arena since 2006. The line on Tuesday has the Cats as a 13.5-point favorite.
3. Records: Kentucky is 20-7 (10-4 SEC). Last game: 79-77 overtime loss at Texas A&M.
Alabama is 16-10 (7-7 SEC). Last game: 67-61 loss vs. Mississippi State.
Three Keys:
1. Injury Bug: The Cats are banged up. Alex Poythress has missed five consecutive games and it's unclear if he's going to play Tuesday. It seems unlikely but even if the senior forward gives it a go how long will John Calipari keep him in the game? Derek Willis will be out with a badly sprained ankle suffered at Texas A&M. Kentucky's frontcourt has never been its strength, so what happens if two of its most important pieces are out?
Who will step up? Marcus Lee? Isaac Humphries had a solid performance before a heartbreaking finish on Saturday. Will Skal Labisisere see it as a chance to finally turn the corner? UK will need some help.
2. Open Obasohan: Retin Obasohan is the go-guy for Alabama. He will have to have a big game for the Crimson Tide if they're going to pull the upset. In the first meeting, a blowout win at Alabama for the Cats, Obasohan had a solid outing but missed some open shots he normally makes. He's going to try and get to the line and if he's hitting at Rupp Arena the game could become interesting. he's the player the Cats will want to lock down.
3. Desperation: Alabama has been one of the biggest surprises this season. Led by first-year head coach Avery Johnson, it seemed he may be on his way to SEC Coach of the Year while the Tide were moving in the right direction towards an NCAA Tournament berth. Alabama had won five straight, including a win vs. Texas A&M, at Florida and at LSU and were seemingly on the right side of the bubble.
Then Alabama suffered a head-scratching loss at home against mediocre Mississippi State. The Crimson Tide will need to make up for that loss and a win at Kentucky would do just that. Alabama will be desperate on Tuesday and give UK its best shot. How will the Cats respond?
Three Quotes:
1. Tony Barbee on if the A&M loss is lingering: “I don’t think so. I think this team has a pretty strong resolve. We were all crushed in that immediate 24 hours after the game, but we have since moved on to Alabama.”
2. Tony Barbee on how Alabama is different: "They start a totally different lineup than when we played them. They're shooting a ton more threes than when we played them. So they're a fairly different team. Shannon Hale, who's a fantastic player, wasn't playing particularly well at that time when we played them, and now he's a guy that they're going through offensively. Obviously, (Retin) Obasohan is the straw that stirs their drink, but Shannon Hale is a guy that's really sparked them in the run that they had because of the level he's playing at."
3. Avery Johnson on UK: "Kentucky is an unbelievable offensive rebounding team. Their two guards, Ulis and Murray, they basically combine for 40 and 50 points on any given night. Briscoe does a great job penetrating and getting inside your defense."
