Box score, MVP, and Twitter reactions to Wildcats’ loss to Alabama

Posted by Admin January 18, 2025 Basketball

The Kentucky Wildcats’ schedule has been nothing short of brutal over the last 14 days.

Game after game, the Cats have been exposed to the harsh reality of playing in the best basketball conference in America.

Mark Pope’s squad would feel no relief on Saturday afternoon, facing an impressive No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide team that leads the NCAA in scoring.

Rupp Arena has been electric all season long, producing especially wild environments for earlier game times. The crowd was sensational for the noon tipoff, and the stage was set for an epic showdown.

As expected, the game was played at a frenetic pace to start, with both teams making mini-runs.

The story of the first half was Alabama’s Grant Nelson, who went nuclear, torching UK for 19 points on 6/10 shooting.

Unfortunately for Kentucky, Nelson stuffed the stat sheet in Lexington. Some may say his early contributions were aided by a favorable whistle.

Nonetheless, Kentucky went into the break trailing Alabama 47-45.

Amari Williams and Otega Oweh led UK with eight points apiece.

Kentucky battled but struggled to find a consistent rhythm in the second half.

They’d give it all they had to avoid Bama’s runs and stay within striking distance. UK would trail for most of the second half, getting down as many as nine points.

It was Otega Oweh who acted as Kentucky’s catalyst on both ends of the floor. But even his efforts weren’t enough today as Bama just had every answer.

Kentucky drops a shootout, 102-97.

This was a tough loss to endure, but ultimately, it should be something that Kentucky can learn from.

There will be plenty of other opportunities for a big win playing in the SEC.

Box Score

MVP

When Kentucky needs a spark, there’s one player who consistently rises to the challenge and delivers. The Big Blue Nation has learned to count on Oweh to force the issue on both ends of the floor.

Several times against No. 4 Alabama it looked as if the game was going to get away from Kentucky, then Oweh would will his way into creating something positive.

The result wasn’t what anyone wanted, but you have to tip your cap to Otega Oweh for his 21-point and 6-rebound performance.

You could make a case that UK is at its best when players like Koby Brea and Jaxson Robinson are shooting lights out, but there’s no denying the importance of what Otega Oweh brings to his team.

Kentucky vs. Alabama Twitter Reactions

BLUE WHITE CHANT IS OCCURRING!!!! WHAT IS HAPPENING

— eli. bbn   (@EliTrolls) January 18, 2025

Nelson with 9 of Bama’s first 15

— Big Blue Insider (@bigblueinsider1) January 18, 2025

Our defense is pitiful. It must improve for us to make any kind of splash.

— JD Shelburne (@JDSHELBURNE) January 18, 2025

This the loudest I’ve heard Rupp all season. Something about these early day games

— Mario A Maitland (@MarioMaitland_3) January 18, 2025

Bama with some three’s that just on the rim. You expect a long rebound and it led to an easy bucket for the Tide. Tough break. #BBN

— Vinny Hardy (@VinnyHardy) January 18, 2025

What a response from Garrison and Ansley. They’ve been great and may have to ride with them this game

— B☄️ (@BanteredB_) January 18, 2025

Oh my gosh this game is so much fun

Both of these offenses are just incredible

KEEP FIGHTING BOYS

— Matt Sak BBN (@MattSakR2NG) January 18, 2025

I love the emotion of what Kentucky basketball does to us!!!! I’m about to jump through the roof!

— JD Shelburne (@JDSHELBURNE) January 18, 2025

Love hearing the crowd at Rupp being extra loud today!

— ky_sweetheart17 (@ky_sweetheart17) January 18, 2025

Kentucky has the worst home whistle in college basketball.

— Matt Duckworth (@iDuck14) January 18, 2025

Koby Brea has now made a 3-pointer in every game this season for Kentucky and in 33 straight games dating back to his time at Dayton.

— Cameron Drummond (@cdrummond97) January 18, 2025

Nelson is the same as Cam Matthews

Gotta find a way to not let him just barrel to the rim/drawing fouls

— Locked On Kentucky (@LockedOnUK) January 18, 2025

“Very few whistles”
“Because the refs are still trying to breathe”

— BBN4Life (@bbn4_uk) January 18, 2025

Since he’s been battling the bad back, this is the most limited Andrew Carr has looked. A couple times has just been a step slow and been forced to reach out and grab or push guys.

— Chris Fisher (@ChrisFisher247) January 18, 2025

Andrew Carr clearly just can’t move. Not his fault, but makes it hard to play him.

Absolutely massive mismatch between him and Grant Nelson.

— Brandon Ramsey (@BRamseyKSR) January 18, 2025

Just feels like this is going to go Alabama’s way. Can’t string together enough stops

— Ethan DeWitt (@EthanDeWitt1) January 18, 2025

Nelson is a bad match-up for Kentucky. Carr back is bad and he is too physical to put a guard on him.

— Bradley McKee (@Bradley_B_Roll) January 18, 2025

Kentucky has battled today. You knew Bama was coming in with the A game. If Sears is hot in March I don’t think they’re losing.

— Justin Rowland (@RowlandRIVALS) January 18, 2025

Gonna be several plays that we can look back on tape and see where we left opportunities on the table, can’t blame this on anybody but ourselves

— Jordan Sebastian (@jordan_sebas2) January 18, 2025

Some uncharacteristic bad decisions and play by Butler gonna cost Kentucky in this one

81-81 and then Alabama executes down the stretch and we don’t

— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) January 18, 2025

I’m not mad at it. We kept it close, Alabama is a great team, and the SEC is a gd gauntlet. But it will always suck to lose in your own house. At least now we have a week off to get healthy. On to the next.

— aimee (@LAimee76) January 18, 2025

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