Kentucky brought its typical huge crowd to Nashville hoping to see an upset of 3-seed Alabama, but they were sent home early as the Tide dominated in a wire to wire blowout.
The story of the first half was Alabama’s defense, which held the high flying Kentucky offense under 40 despite a breakneck pace. Special attention was paid to run the ‘Cats off the three point line, and as a result they were able to get off only nine tries, making three. Offensively, Alabama had a terrible time outside the arc at only 2/13, but the Kentucky guards were unable to keep Labaron Philon and Mark Sears out of the lane. Philon led the Tide with 13 first half points and three assists in something of a breakout performance. Alabama made up for the poor three point shooting by protecting the basketball, turning it over only four times in the opening half, and took a 45-38 lead into the break.
Alabama came out firing out of the locker room, making more threes in the first four minutes as they did in the entire first half as Philon, Chris Youngblood and Mo Dioubate knocked down one apiece. As a result the lead was pushed out to 57-44 and Kentucky coach Mark Pope called timeout. It didn’t help. Alabama’s offense had found some rhythm, with Aden Holloway providing his signature spark. The undermanned Wildcats kept battling on the offensive end, but they didn’t have nearly enough firepower to keep up. Once Alabama stretched the lead out to 20, Kentucky pretty well let up and it was over.
Sears had a big second half, scoring nine in a row at one point, after a pedestrian effort by his standards in the first half. Chris Youngblood and Jarin Stevenson played outstanding defense all night and contributed from the three point line, but it was Philon’s night. Any doubts about whether he would leave for the NBA after the season are likely put to bed at this point. Enjoy him while you can, and hope we get a big tournament run before he goes. Alabama’s second half defense was even better than the first, though Kentucky helped with some poor shooting.
It will get much tougher from here, of course. The chalk has held in the SEC thus far, so Alabama will face 2-seed Florida tomorrow while Auburn plays Tennessee in the other semifinal. The nation’s toughest schedule continues, and we will soon see how it pays off in the Dance.
Roll Tide.
