College Basketball Game of the Week: No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 8 Kentucky

The SEC is the strongest conference in college basketball, accounting for nine of the Top 25 teams, five of which are ranked in the top 10. Two of these teams will clash on Saturday afternoon when No. 4 Alabama takes a trip to Lexington to face No. 8 Kentucky.

The Crimson Tide are a year removed from a Final Four appearance. With lots of returning talent, Alabama picked up right where they left off earning the No. 2 seed in the preseason rankings and winning five games in a row to start the season. The Tide currently stand at 14-3 and held an eight-game win streak before falling to No. 21 Ole Miss on Tuesday night.

The Wildcats lost long-time head coach John Calipari to Arkansas in a surprising offseason move. However, this did not make Kentucky skip a beat as they have remained at their typical blue-blood status. The blue and white are 14-3 this season but are yet to lose a game at Rupp Arena this season.

If there is one thing fans can expect from this powerhouse matchup it's that a lot of points will be scored. Alabama is tied with Iowa for the highest-scoring team in college basketball, averaging 89.5 points per game. Kentucky is not far behind with an average of 88.7 points per game.

Mark Sears was a huge part of the Crimson Tide’s run to the Final Four last year, which is why his decision to return to Tuscaloosa was a big one. The graduate senior leads the team in points per game (18.6) and assists per game (4.6). Sears is one of the most well-rounded guards in the country and Alabama fans have a lot of faith in him to complete unfinished business.

The Tide have also seen key contributions from 6-foot-11 forward Grant Nelson, Auburn transfer Aden Holloway and freshman Labaron Philon.

Nelson knows how to use his size to his advantage, grabbing 8.6 rebounds per game, while also recording 1.3 blocks per game. Holloway is coming off a team-high 15-point performance against Ole Miss, a game in which he shot 5-for-6 and also recorded three assists.

Despite a rough performance against the Rebels, Philon has still had an impressive freshman season. Playing alongside a veteran guard like Sears has certainly helped. Philon is third on the team in points per game (11.4) and second in assists (3.8.)

The Wildcats have a completely new look from a season ago. With Calipari’s departure, the entire 2023-24 roster either entered the NBA Draft or the transfer portal. Kentucky brought in alumni and 1996 national champion Mark Pope from BYU. Pope rebuilt the roster through the transfers and signees. The move has certainly worked out for the Wildcats.

Oklahoma transfer Otega Oweh leads the Wildcats in scoring, averaging 15.4 points per game, but it is San Diego State grad transfer Lamont Butler who has been the best all-around addition for Kentucky this season.

College basketball fans may remember Butler for his buzzer-beater against FAU in the 2023 Final Four that continued San Diego State’s improbable run to the national championship.

Now thriving as a Wildcat, Butler is second on the team in scoring, averaging 13.4 points per game. Butler is also a true playmaker, leading the team in assists (4.7) and steals (1.9) per game.

Kentucky also gets good guard play from Jaxon Robinson, who came with Pope from BYU. Robinson averages 13.1 points per game and is coming off back-to-back 20-plus-point games in wins over No. 15 Mississippi State and No.11 Texas A&M.

The first of two meetings between these powerhouses this season has all the means of being a promising matchup. The game will take place at noon on Saturday and can be viewed on ESPN.

Gianna Dowling is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email gmd5738 @ psu.edu.