Seismic individual efforts allow Kentucky to knock off Alabama

When Kentucky hit the floor for warmups without Sahvir Wheeler and TyTy Washington, things were not looking great for the Big Blue. That turned bleak when Alabama could not miss to start the game and jumped out to a 41-28 lead with just over five minutes remaining in the first half.

Yet, Kentucky refused to lose and recorded a 90-81 victory in thrilling fashion.

There was a lot to unpack as the Wildcats improved to 22-5 on the season, but first KSR is diving into the box score and pulling out the numbers that told the story after Kentucky completed a sweep of Alabama.

Kellan Grady, Oscar Tshiebwe show

With the depleted backcourt depth, John Calipari turned to Kellan Grady to be the offense’s primary handler. The former point guard at Davidson responded with his best performance in a Kentucky jersey.

The super senior went for 25 points on 16 field goal attempts with a season-high seven makes from three-point range. Grady played 39 minutes, dished out three assists, and consistently got the Wildcats some great offensive looks in ball screen actions. His efficiency led a monster day on the offensive end as Kentucky put up 1.50 points per possession.

Down low, Oscar Tshiebwe just continues to be a dominant force. The junior big finished the game with 21 points on 13 shots, collected 14 rebounds (6 offense), and dished out three assists in 35 minutes. The West Virginia transfer was effective in some defensive switches and was once again the best player on the floor for a good chunk of the game.

Kentucky simply does not beat Alabama without a pair of A-plus performances from both Grady and Tshiebwe.

Keion Brooks Jr., Jacob Toppin provide secondary juice

Grady and Tshiebwe led the show, but the dynamic duo still needed some help. Without the guard depth, Kentucky had to get big on the wing. The Wildcats turned to a pair of juniors who both delivered.

Keion Brooks Jr. and Jacob Toppin both drew starting assignments in the win over Alabama and each played over 35 minutes. Brooks went for 18 points and eight rebounds with two blocked shots, and the veteran made his first three-point field goal since the Tennessee win on Jan. 15. Meanwhile, Jacob Toppin had 13 points and six rebounds in 39 minutes with three assists and a make from three.

Kentucky got some big-time production on the wing, and their size won out in a matchup between big and small lineups.

Ball security returns

Needing a comeback against Tennessee on Tuesday, Kentucky’s defense came alive in the second half. The Wildcats produced some consistent stops, but ball security on offense prevented a huge run from coming. At one point, Kentucky had seven turnovers in 18 possessions to start the second half.

Without their two primary ballhandlers, Kentucky had just seven turnovers in 60 possessions against Alabama.

Kentucky finished with a turnover rate of just 11.7 percent and that allowed the offense to perform at peak efficiency. The Wildcats were 50 percent from two-point range on 48 shots with nine makes from downtown and a 15 of 17 performance at the charity stripe.

Limiting turnovers allowed Kentucky to put together one of its best offensive performances of the season without two key players.

Stats that stood out

• After a bad performance at the rim against Tennessee, the Wildcats responded on Saturday. Kentucky was 12 of 16 on shots at the rim and produced 36 paint points. The home team had an offensive rebound rate of 42.5 percent that led to 22 second chance points. Kentucky’s inside game was surgical against Alabama.
• Kentucky survived the game despite giving up a career-high to Keon Ellis. The junior college product went for 28 points and had a career-best seven makes from three-point land. Ellis was huge, but the rest of the Alabama team was just 7 of 29 from deep.
• Free throws haven’t been a big part of Kentucky’s winning recipe this season, but they showed up on Saturday. Mainly, Kentucky won the fouls battle (16-7) and prevented Alabama from getting to the free throw line. That was a big factor when the Crimson Tide went cold from distance (5 of 18) in the second half.