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Men's Basketball

Kentucky vs. Alabama: TV/Streaming Info, Things to Watch

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UK Athletics

Coming off arguably their best offensive performance of the season, the Kentucky Wildcats will go on the road this weekend as they go up against a top-10 Alabama team that is playing as well as anyone in the country.

Unlike most of Nate Oats’s teams, which heavily rely on their offense, this season’s Alabama team is very balanced. The Crimson Tide are one of just a handful of teams that are ranked top 20 in offensive and defensive efficiency.

They have proven themselves against good competition as well, ranked 8th in the NET rankings with a 6-2 record in quadrant 1 and 2 games. With that said, they are not unbeatable. Alabama has lost two games this season and has struggled against teams like Memphis, South Dakota St, and South Alabama.

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Saturday will be a difficult task but should provide a measuring stick to see where Kentucky is. Let’s take a look at Kentucky’s keys to the game.

Play Disciplined Defense

To combat one of the best offenses in the country, Kentucky must come prepared to play and play with a disciplined defense. Against Alabama, this will start on the perimeter.

As usual with Nate Oats’s Alabama teams, they are ranked top 10 in both three-pointers attempted and made. Whereas, defending the three has been a struggle at times for Kentucky.

https://youtu.be/qZ0Gz6S01VA

In the past, Calipari has played a defense against Alabama that encourage people to drive. This should be expected again, but Kentucky must fight through and go over with any screening action.

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Another aspect that Kentucky will have to focus on is defending without fouling. The Crimson Tide at one of the highest rates in the country. This also provides a large part of their offense, providing nearly a quarter of their points per game.

It’s not just about limiting free chances for points, but with John Calipari limiting the rotation to seven players, the Wildcats can’t afford to get in foul trouble.

Limit Brandon Miller

Averaging 19.1 points per game, Brandon Miller leads the SEC in scoring and has scored in double-figures in all but one game (Houston). With that said, it will be a tall task for anyone to defend Miller, yet someone has to.

Given Miller’s size (6-foot-9) and versatility, expect Jacob Toppin to have the matchup for most of the night. While Miller is an elite shooter, his finishing ability leaves much to be desired.

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As mentioned earlier, Calipari has played a defense against Alabama that encourage people to drive. This philosophy should work well against Miller if Toppin can execute it effectively.

Capitalize off of Turnovers

Alabama is a great offensive team, but they do have a glaring weakness, taking care of the ball. Averaging 16.4 turnovers per game, the Crimson tide are ranked toward the bottom of the country in ball security.

Kentucky’s length and improved energy should force some Alabama turnovers, and Kentucky needs to take advantage of this. With that said, Calipari has talked about playing more “deliberate”, and they must when extra possessions could be what decides the game.

Late Game Execution

For thirty-five minutes against LSU, Kentucky played their basketball of the season. Yet, they nearly gave away the win due to poor execution toward the end of the game.

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Just look at this possession at the end of the game where Sahvir Wheeler looks to the sidelines for what to run, before being luckily bailed out by Jacob Toppin.

In all six of Alabama’s games against ranked opponents, the game has been decided by 11 points or less, with an average point differential of 7.5 points. If Kentucky is improving and growing into the team that was ranked top five in the preseason, Saturday will be another close game.

Kentucky Basketball vs. Alabama Crimson Tide

Time/Date: 1:00 pm ET on Saturday, January 7th, 2023.
Location: Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
TV Channel: ESPN
Announcers: Karl Ravech, Jimmy Dykes
Online Stream: WatchESPNESPN+, SEC Network+ or ESPN app
Radio: Tom Leach and Jack Givens have the UK radio network call on the UK Sports Radio Network.
Replay: SEC Network (check local listings).
Rosters: UK | BAMA
Team SheetsUK | BAMA
Stats To Know: UK | BAMA

Odds: The odds for this game has yet to be released, but it is fair to say that Kentucky is the underdog. ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Wildcats just a 29.6% chance of winning, while Bart Torvik gives Kentucky an even lower chance lower advantage at 21%, while KenPom has it at 30%.

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PredictionsBart Torvik picks the Wildcats to lose 79-70. KenPom went with Bama to win 78-72.

Men's Basketball

CBS Sports: Kentucky Has “ended pursuits” in Transfer Portal Following Aberdeen Commitment

In the wake of yet another addition to Kentucky’s incoming roster, CBS Sports reports that Coach Pope and staff may have closed the portal.

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Mark Pope and staff may have everything they need from the transfer portal.
Chet White | UK Athletics

Following another flurry of transfer portal additions in his second year at the helm, it appears that Mark Pope and staff are satisfied with their sophomore haul. The portal in Lexington may be officially closed for the 2025-26′ season.

Right after Kentucky received the surprising commitment of Denzel Aberdeen, Matt Norlander, an analyst for CBS Sports, posted the following on X (Twitter):

“Barring any portal defections, Kentucky has ended its pursuits of all other portal targets, sources told CBS Sports. Getting Aberdeen today [April 21] meant they’ve moved off Andrej Stojakovic, Rylan Griffen, etc. Otega Oweh going through pre-draft process-but I expect him back in Lex”.

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With the addition of Aberdeen, the Wildcats’ roster ballooned to near-max capacity for next season. Seeing two of the team’s walk-on players, Grant Darbyshire and Walker Horn, enter the transfer portal seemed to all but confirm this suspicion, too.

Losing One of Our Own

That is, until last night. With less than two hours remaining for players to do so, Travis Perry shocked much of the Big Blue Nation by throwing his name into the hat. This came just weeks after a string of comments from the Kentucky-native point guard seemed to confirm his return for a sophomore season.

Though all the same, given Kentucky’s bulk of back-court additions this offseason, his departure makes sense for the sake of playing time alone. The Lyon King will be sorely missed.

So while the Kentucky staff may still be very much content with their current roster, with hundreds of players remaining in the portal and an unexpected spot on the roster coming open, another grab is far from out of the question.

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Who Coach Pope and company would go after is entirely unclear, as that potential player would likely have to accept a minimized role off the bench for a stretch of his time in Lexington. If anything, the logical replacement would be a direct fill-in at the PG2/PG3 spot in Perry’s absence.

Either way, the ‘Cats are set to come into next season as one of the most exciting teams in college basketball with a ceiling far out of view. Mark Pope continues to prove his prowess in the transfer market, too, easing the worries of Wildcats fans and closing the door on many supposed “insiders” who’ve spent the last month suggesting otherwise.

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Men's Basketball

REPORT: Travis Perry Enters Transfer Portal

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Kentucky basketball Travis Perry talks about growing more comfortable on the court.
Jordan Prather | IMAGN

The transfer portal has been kind to Kentucky in the Mark Pope era. Last season, the staff was able to build a Sweet Sixteen roster almost exclusively from the portal, and this offseason have put together a top-five portal class.

While the portal giveth, it also taketh. Just hours before the deadline to enter, Kentucky native and fan favorite Travis Perry has entered the transfer portal, per multiple reports.

Coming to Kentucky as the state’s all-time high-school scoring record holder, fans were excited to see how his career would unfold in Lexington.

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Not expecting to play much freshman, he was called upon due to injuries and played some key minutes for the Wildcats into the postseason. He averaged 2.7 PPG and .6 APG on 32% shooting from three.

Looking at the depth chart, it was difficult to see where Perry would get much playing time next season, leading to his decision to enter the portal.

Perry has yet to release an official statement, but all the best to him in his future.

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Men's Basketball

Top Transfer Guard Denzel Aberdeen Commits to Kentucky

Former Florida guard Denzel Aberdeen commits to Kentucky, likely closing the transfer portal for next year’s roster.

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Denzel Aberdeen commits to Kentucky.
UF Athletics

Another day, another “boom.” Denzel Aberdeen has officially committed to Kentucky for the 2025-26’ season.

A soon-to-be senior guard fresh off his championship win with Florida, Aberdeen spent his first three years of eligibility in Gainesville. Now, following an apparent conflict in the Gators’ rotation, he’s swapped teams in the southeast.

At 6 ‘5”, 190, Aberdeen spent much of this past season beating defenders off the dribble and making them pay at the rim. His speed and size made him a nightmare off the bench for opposing teams, and for the short stretch of play that he started during the year, Florida didn’t miss a beat. 

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In 19 minutes, Aberdeen averaged 8 points, two rebounds and one assist per game. His consistent contribution to the Gators’ title run made him one of the most coveted transfers in the cycle this season, and given his big blue commitment just days after entering the portal, Mark Pope clearly wasted no time in Kentucky’s pursuit.

Aberdeen slots in as yet another addition to what was already one of the strongest portal classes going into next season. His SEC experience and combo-guard intangibles make Aberdeen one of the most exciting portal players to come through Lexington in a long while, reinforcing Kentucky’s back court to what may be the final degree.

Whether or not Mark Pope is officially done for next season, nobody is sure, but this commitment only further cements the fact that he knows exactly what he’s doing. Just like the  fanbase behind him, Coach Pope seems to never sleep.

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