Alabama’s Dominance Over Kentucky

Only four teams in the SEC have managed to beat the mighty Kentucky Wildcats four times in a row. On Saturday, January 3, Alabama basketball joined that elite group with an impressive 89-74 victory. The loss was particularly painful for Kentucky’s head coach, Mark Pope, who has faced Alabama’s success in all of those matchups.

In the 2024-25 season alone, Alabama defeated Kentucky three times under the guidance of Nate Oats. Oats has maintained a 6-4 record against UK since he took over in Tuscaloosa back in 2019. The first win came last January when Alabama stunned Rupp Arena with a 102-97 upset of then-No. 8 Kentucky. In February, the No. 17 Wildcats fell to Alabama at Coleman Coliseum with a 96-83 loss. Finally, in the SEC Tournament, Alabama achieved its largest margin of victory in the series history with a 99-70 win over a No. 15 Kentucky team.

Oats reflected on the significance of these victories, stating, “We’ve gotten to where we’re competing for championships over here. A little disappointed these last two years that we haven’t won an SEC championship. To me, Kentucky’s kind of that standard. They’ve won the most games, the most championships. They’ve got all this tradition, and you respect it, and they’ve got high expectations over there right now.”

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As Alabama continues to build its legacy, the emergence of 7-foot transfer Noah Williamson could be pivotal for the program following a breakout performance against Kentucky. His presence on the court may provide the necessary depth and physicality that Alabama needs to maintain its dominance.

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Another key player for Alabama is guard Amari Allen, whose performance often sparks frustration among his teammates. This dynamic has become a notable aspect of the team’s culture, with guards frequently expressing their dissatisfaction with Allen’s play.

Coach Pope’s Criticisms

Following a nonconference finale win over St. John’s, which hinted at a potential turnaround for Kentucky, Pope voiced his frustrations about the team’s struggles. He emphasized that Kentucky isn’t meeting the high expectations set by Oats, insisting that Alabama didn’t “just beat up on a bad team.”

“We’re a nine-assist team,” Pope said. “We’re not translating practice, too.”

Alabama’s 15-point win over Kentucky was aided by having eight more assists than the Wildcats. Pope also pointed out that Kentucky struggled with “intentionality” and lacked pace at times.

“Those things, just the fundamentals, we can do it. But we did not do it,” Pope said. When asked why Kentucky struggled to guard Alabama from the perimeter in the first half, allowing the Crimson Tide to score 10 three-pointers, Pope acknowledged that it’s simply Oats’ brand of basketball.

“They hurt us with flares early. They got three flare looks. They were good open shots. Shooters all over, which is just Alabama basketball,” Pope said.

Pope maintained that Kentucky’s struggles weren’t due to production or defense from 3-point range but rather a lack of ball movement and consistent communication, as well as letting Alabama go down low in the paint.

“There’s a lot of traffic down there. I was really disappointed with our effectiveness on the glass. Credit to Alabama for showing up, fighting, being physical,” Pope said. “I’m disappointed with us. You know, for us to walk out of here, shooting a really poor percentage and being outrebounded by four, and being outrebounded on the offensive glass, with Alabama shooting 50-plus percent, that’s a problem. It’s not okay for us. Our identity basketball-wise has got to be something more than that.”

Kentucky shot just over 42% from the field and went 4-for-19 from 3-point range with 37 rebounds.

“Kentucky’s not what everybody was hoping over there that they would be this year, but they still have a lot of talent that I think they’re going to win some games,” Oats continued. “It’s not like coach Pope doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for The Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@usatodayco.com.