TV info, story lines for UK-Alabama
ALABAMA (13-7, 3-4 SEC)
AT NO. 1 KENTUCKY (20-0, 7-0 SEC)
Game time: 7 p.m.
Site: Rupp Arena (24,000), Lexington, Ky.
Favorite: Kentucky by 20
Series: UK leads 104-37. Last meeting: UK won 70-48 on Jan. 17, 2015 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Television: SEC Network (Dave Neal, Darrin Horn, Kaylee Hartung)
Radio: WHAS-AM 840 (Tom Leach, Mike Pratt)
ALABAMA
Pos. Player Ht. Cl. Rb. Pts.
G-Levi Randolph 6-5 Sr. 5.0 14.7
G-Rodney Cooper 6-6 Jr. 4.0 10.9
F-Riley Norris 6-7 Fr. 3.6 4.7
F-Michal Kessens 6-9 So. 5.8 6.9
F-Jimmie Taylor 6-10 So. 4.6 4.4
* assists per game
Key reserves – Shannon Hale, F, 6-8, So., 7.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg; Justin Coleman, G, 5-10, Fr., 5.0 ppg, 1.4 apg; Retin Obasohan, G, 6-1, Jr., 2.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg.
KENTUCKY
Pos.Player Ht. Cl. Rb. Pts.
G-Andrew Harrison 6-6 So. 4.0* 7.7
G-Aaron Harrison 6-6 So. 2.6 11.6
F-Trey Lyles 6-10 Fr. 5.3 7.5
F-Karl-Anthony Towns 6-11 Fr. 6.1 8.0
C-Willie Cauley-Stein 7-0 Jr. 6.6 8.7
* assists per game
Key reserves –Dakari Johnson, C, 7-0, So., 8.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg; Tyler Ulis, G, 5-9, Fr., 5.7 ppg, 3.6 apg; Devin Booker, G, 6-5, Fr., 10.7 ppg, 1.3 apg; Marcus Lee, F, 6-9, So., 2.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg; Dominique Hawkins, G, 6-0, So., 2.1 ppg, 1.0 apg.
STORY LINES
1. Andrew Harrison shakes off slump. The sophomore point guard had shot just 21.9 percent in the previous 10 games, seven times in that span making just one field goal. He'd scored in double figures just twice in the previous 13 games. Then Harrison led Kentucky to a win at Missouri on Thursday night with a team-high 15 points on 3-of-4 shooting from the field and 9 of 11 free throws. He has three rebounds, three assists and three steals to go with it.
"He had more confidence. It's like I said: 'You have the green light to go play basketball – but not mess around with the ball. Go by people, get fouled. No one's stopping you," coach John Calipari said. "He is too self-critical. And it's OK to be self-critical if you're using it to improve yourself. But if your inner dialogue buries you, then you gotta change your inner dialogue."
It should help that Harrison just scored his most points since the season opener against Grand Canyon.
"I've just been working out a lot, putting that extra work in, just having confidence in myself," he said. "Just being more aggressive and having more confidence in myself to attack the rim."
2. Tough-luck Tide. Alabama has lost four of its last five games, sure, but three of those came in heartbreaking fashion: each by just two points and decided on the final possession. Overall, four of the Tide's seven losses this season – road games against Wichita State, South Carolina and Arkansas, and home against Florida – have been by a combined seven points. Alabama is a couple of last-second buckets away from being well-positioned for an NCAA Tournament invitation.
Senior guard Levin Randolph has 17 double-digit scoring games this season and gives the Tide a chance most nights, particularly with his second-half heroics. Alabama has outscored opponents in 13 of 20 second halves this season, led by Randolph, who averages 8.8 points and shoots 53.6 percent after intermission compared to 5.7 points and 43.5 percent in the first half.
3. Ricky Tarrant out for rematch. The Tide's second-leading scorer will sit out Round 2 against Kentucky because what coach Anthony Grant is calling a "lower leg injury." Tarrant, a junior Tulane transfer, was hurt late in Tuesday night's latest narrow defeat, against Florida. He averages 13.1 points per game, although he only produced five against the Cats two weeks ago.
– Kyle Tucker