BOX SCORE: Alabama hammers Kentucky with two-point efficiency and three-point volume

by:Adam Luckett•about 8 hours•

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MarkSearsUKSEC — Mar 14, 2025; Nashville, TN, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Mark Sears (1) lays the ball in against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Kentucky had a very difficult time creating stops against Alabama in the two regular-season meetings against this top-10 opponent. That remained true in the SEC Tournament. The Cats weren’t their normal selves on offense. That turned a close game at the final media timeout in the first half into an ugly, ugly loss in Nashville.

Alabama outscored Kentucky by 22 points in the second half, and delivered a statement at Bridgestone Arena. Two-point shooting efficiency and three-point volume stood out the most.

Of all the basketball games, that was one of them. pic.twitter.com/Wt9SnbmAm3
— KSR (@KSRonX) March 15, 2025

Kentucky scored 70 points in 79 possessions (0.89 points per possession) on 16-of-37 (43.2%) shooting from two, 5-of-19 (26.3%) shooting from three, and 23-of-35 (65.7%) shooting from the free throw line. The Wildcats struggled to create three-point looks and didn’t hit many when they arrived. Turnovers (16 with a 20.3% turnover rate) were a major, major problem. Shot creation at-large was also a problem as Kentucky created just 17 shots at the rim with only seven makes. This was one of Kentucky’s worst offensive performances of the season.

Alabama scored 99 points in 80 possessions (1.24 points per possession) on 25-of-42 (59.5%) shooting from two, 11-of-29 shooting (37.9%) from three, and 16-of-21 shooting (76.2%) from the free throw line. The Tide create 32 shots at the rim, got 44 points off the bench, and 46 paint points. Despite star guard Mark Sears shooting just 1-of-8 from three, Bama won the three-point battle against Kentucky for a third time thanks to a well-rounded effort.

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The Tide became the first team since Florida in 2014 to beat Kentucky three times in the same season. The results for Bama’s offense in these games versus UK were very similar. Alabama won the three-point volume battle and created more easy shots from two. That turned each game into a Tide victory. A healthy Kentucky team was right there in the first meeting, but simply did not have the answers in the last two meetings.

Five Tide players reached double-figures. Kentucky only got 16 combined points from Koby Brea and Otega Oweh on 16 field goal attempts.