Nothing is easy in the SEC, and Kentucky is learning that the hard way. Entering Tuscaloosa, they knew this wasn’t just another road game—it was a fight for respect, revenge, and a key win. Alabama’s home crowd was electric, and their confidence was through the roof. But Kentucky came out strong, just three days after securing a satisfying revenge win over Vanderbilt. The Wildcats looked poised to take control… until things shifted, and fans were left frustrated with Mark Pope’s decisions.
At halftime, Alabama led 47-40. Kentucky had jumped to a 12-point lead early, only to watch it vanish. The Tide controlled the boards (23-17) and outscored the UK’s bench 22-6. Additionally, the Wildcats missed five free points. In the first half, Koby Brea led with 11 points, Andrew Carr had 10, Amari Williams posted 6, and Travis Perry added 5.
So, what went wrong? Kentucky started strong, leading 20-9 in the first five minutes—until Pope pulled Amari Williams and Andrew Carr. That’s when Alabama responded with a 15-2 run, and from there, it was all Tide. Fans were outraged, and the frustration was palpable. However, it wasn’t over yet—Kentucky just needed to slow down Alabama’s guards. Unfortunately, they couldn’t.
Alabama was determined not to lose a third straight game, cruising to a 96-83 victory. It was a crucial win for them, improving their record to 22-5 and 11-3 in SEC play. Meanwhile, Pope’s team fell to 18-9 overall and 7-7 in the SEC.
After this game, it’s clear that despite all the talk of Kentucky’s defensive improvements, they didn’t show up when it counted against the nation’s top-scoring team. The Wildcats just couldn’t contain Alabama’s offensive firepower. And if you want a snapshot of how tough the night was for the UK, look no further than one play in the second half.
Mark Pope Clashes with National Reporter Over Otega Oweh After Another SEC Loss to Alabama
In the span of a single second—yes, literally one second—two timeouts were called, giving Kentucky a chance to regroup. But instead of a defensive stop, they were hit with a dagger: Aden Holloway nailed a three-pointer from the wing, pushing Alabama’s lead to 56-49 with 15:24 left.
Were we shocked? Not at all. Bama averages 90.6 points per game for a reason. But after Pope spent Friday talking up Kentucky’s recent defensive strides (they were ranked 14th in defensive efficiency over the last four games), fans expected more resistance. And it wasn’t just the game—it was the growing frustration on social media, with fans turning on the head coach. By halftime, X was already flooded with criticism.
“I hope we got fired-up Mark Pope in the locker room at the half,” one fan tweeted. Fans wanted to see more intensity, more urgency—something to shake the team awake after Alabama’s comeback. While Williams (17 points), Brea (20 points), Carr (17 points), Perry (12 points), and Garrison (8 points) contributed offensively, the season-long defensive issues continued to haunt them in the second half.
