Grant Nelson scored 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and fourth-ranked Alabama defeated eighth-ranked Kentucky 102-97 on Saturday in a matchup of the nation’s top offensive teams.
Nelson made 7 of 13 from the field and 9 of 10 from the line. He has scored a total of 21 points in the past three games.
For Alabama (15-3, 4-1 SEC), Mark Sears scored 16 of his 24 points in the second half and five players scored in double figures.
Kentucky (14-4, 3-2) had won two straight since an 82-69 loss to Georgia. Otega Oweh had 21 points and Lamont Butler had 17 points and eight assists for the Wildcats.
Kentucky took a 56-52 lead on Brandon Garrison’s dunk with 16:13 left, but Alabama responded with a 14-2 run.
Sears started the big sequence with a jumper. He also had an assist when Aiden Holloway made a 3-pointer to make it 66-58 with 12:33 left.
takeout
Alabama: The Tide went 29-for-34 at the line, helping the team hold on late.
Kentucky: The Wildcats struggled to stop their defense in key moments during the game.
important moment
After Garrison’s dunk tied the score at 81, Alabama’s LaBaron Fillon scored five points in a 9-0 run.
Main status
Alabama forced Kentucky, one of the nation’s top 3-point shooting teams, to drive inside for much of the second half. Alabama was 13-of-34 from behind the arc, while Kentucky was 11-of-27.
to the next
Alabama hosts Vanderbilt on Tuesday. Kentucky has a week off before traveling to Vanderbilt next Saturday.
Associated Press reported.
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