Although Alabama has been up and down this season, Kentucky expects the Tide to be high in Saturday’s game.
“Well, I expect them to be great . . . ,” Kellan Grady said Friday. “To be blunt, we’re coming to town. And a lot of times that creates an electric atmosphere. We expect to get the best of them and be prepared for it.”
Among Southeastern Conference teams, only Auburn with seven has more Quad I victories than Alabama’s six.
But only Georgia (five) has more losses in Quad 3 games than Alabama’s two. Arkansas, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, South Carolina and Ole Miss have also lost twice in Quad 3 games.
Alabama Coach Nate Oats linked the difference in low and high Tide to effort.
“We need the effort that we’ve shown in those big wins . . . ,” Oats said this week. “The effort was so bad in some of the losses it was unacceptable, and it’s not tolerated. And I think players are at a point they’re not going to tolerate it, either.”
When asked how an up-and-down opponent affects game preparation, Kentucky Coach John Calipari said it’s having to watch more tape.
“When they don’t play well, was it the other team or them?” he said. “Then you’ve got to watch tape when they really play well. Did they do something different? Or was the other team doing something that led to them playing well?
“So, you get bogged down in tape.”
Calipari downplayed another factor potentially affecting Alabama (14-8 overall and 4-5 in the SEC).
Kentucky completes an eight-day stretch in which Alabama will have played three teams ranked in the top five by The Associated Press. The Tide beat then-No. 4 Baylor 87-78 last Saturday, and then lost at No. 1 Auburn 100-81 on Tuesday.
The last time a team played three top-five teams within eight days was in the 2008-09 season. Rutgers lost 97-75 at No. 1 North Carolina on Dec. 28, lost 78-72 to No. 3 Pittsburgh on Dec. 31 and lost 80-49 at No. 2 UConn on Jan. 3.
Dealing with such a challenging series of games in a short period of time is “way easier than trying to gear it up for a team you think you can beat,” Calipari said. “That’s hard. That’s hard.”
Again, Calipari and Grady suggested that it makes a difference when Kentucky is that third opponent.
“They know who they’re playing,” the UK coach said. “. . . It’s Kentucky. Here we come. So, they’ll be ready whether they’ve played four ranked teams (in a row).”
Grady acknowledged the difficulty inherent with playing three top-five teams in eight days. Home-court familiarity has to help Alabama, he said. The Tide has won 10 of 11 home games this season with the lone loss being to current No. 1 Auburn.
“They’ve probably put up a million shots on the rims already,” he said. “They’re used to that, and the crowd is going to be on their side. . . .
“We know going into it that it will be a fun and challenging task.”
‘Relish it’
Calipari suggested getting out-rebounded by Vanderbilt 37-30 was a reflection of overconfidence produced by the victory at Kansas last weekend. Vandy came into the game ranked last among SEC teams in rebound margin in league play (minus 5.0 on average) while Kentucky was first (plus 5.0).
It marked only the third time UK has been out-rebounded this season. The other two times came in losses at Auburn (27-26) and Notre Dame (33-28).
Calipari noted Vandy’s physical play and — as he did after the game — suggested future opponents will take note.
UK must answer in kind, said the UK coach, adding that having veteran players makes that more likely.
“We have to enjoy that kind of game,” he said. “You can’t shy away from it. . . . You’ve got to relish it.”
‘100 percent’
After Wednesday’s game against Vanderbilt, Calipari said he noticed TyTy Washington limping. The player injured an ankle at Auburn.
When asked Friday how he was feeling, Washington said, “I feel good. I feel 100 percent.”
Too much time
Grady is averaging more minutes (36.49) in league games than any other player.
“Too many minutes,” Calipari said. “. . . I’d like to get his minutes down to 30 (or) 28.”
Alabama guard Jaden Shackelford averages the third-most minutes in SEC play (34.75). Counting all games, he averages the most minutes (33.93).
Etc.
Tom Hart and Jimmy Dykes will call the game for ESPN.
Saturday
No. 5 Kentucky at Alabama
When: 8 p.m. EST
TV: ESPN
Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1
Records: UK 18-4 (7-2 SEC); Alabama 14-8 (4-5)
Series: Kentucky leads 114-40
Last meeting: Alabama won 70-59 on Jan. 26, 2021, in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
This story was originally published February 4, 2022 2:00 PM.