In a thrilling showdown at Rupp Arena, Alabama bounced back from a 10-point home loss earlier in the week, handing Kentucky its first home defeat of the season with a 102-97 victory on Saturday.
The Crimson Tide (15-3, 4-1 SEC) led by just 2 points at halftime, but stretched their lead to as large as 9 in the second half, fueled by standout performances from Mark Sears (24 points) and Grant Nelson (25 points). This win marked Alabama’s first victory over a top-10 Kentucky (14-4, 3-2) team at Rupp Arena since Jan. 26, 2002, and also gave Nate Oats his 24th win over a top-25 team, just one shy of the program record.
Here are three key takeaways from the game:
1. Grant Nelson Keeps Alabama in the Game Early
Despite a cold shooting stretch from Mark Sears and a lackluster performance from beyond the arc, Grant Nelson carried Alabama in the first half. He scored 19 of his game-high 25 points before halftime, including back-to-back triples in the opening minutes that helped the Tide recover from a 7-2 deficit. By the 14:31 mark, he had already scored 12 of Alabama’s first 20 points.
During a stretch when Alabama struggled to score, Nelson stepped up again, scoring an and-1 and then hitting a pair of free throws to keep the Tide in striking distance. After Sears nailed a much-needed three-pointer with 1:52 to go in the half, Alabama went into the break with a 2-point lead.
2. Alabama Outworks Kentucky in the Second Half
While Mouhamed Dioubate may have had a modest stat line — 8 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal in 15 minutes — his presence on the court proved invaluable. Alabama outscored Kentucky by 21 points during his time on the floor, with his energy and hustle plays key in swinging the momentum.
Alabama dominated in the 50/50 plays, outworking the Wildcats in the paint and on the glass. Though they were outshot in several areas — field goal percentage (48% to 45%), three-point shooting (41% to 38%), and points in the paint (44-34) — Alabama’s grit made the difference. With 15 offensive rebounds and 15 second-chance points, they won the hustle battle, securing extra possessions through tipped balls and rebounds, even when things weren’t falling from the field.
3. Oweh’s Strong Effort Not Enough for Kentucky
For Kentucky, guard Otega Oweh led the charge with 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting, but he didn’t have enough help from his teammates until it was too late. Andrew Carr struggled, making just 1 field goal on 4 attempts, and Jaxson Robinson was inconsistent, shooting 4-for-10 overall and missing all of his free throws. Lamont Butler, playing through injury, scored 8 of his 17 points in the final 2:30, but it wasn’t enough to mount a comeback.
As a whole, Kentucky’s lack of scoring support and Alabama’s relentless effort ultimately sealed the game, giving Alabama its landmark win in Lexington.
