No. 5 Kentucky heads to Alabama in SEC Showdown

The red hot and No. 5 ranked Kentucky Wildcats (18-4) are heading to Tuscaloosa to face the Alabama Crimson Tide (14-8). The game will tipoff at 8 p.m. tomorrow night on ESPN. This is the first matchup between the two this season.

Kentucky

The Kentucky Wildcats are having quite the season so far, being ranked No. 5 in the nation. They had an impressive win last weekend when they defeated the Kansas Jayhawks in dominant fashion. Most recently, Kentucky defeated SEC opponent Vanderbilt. This showed that Kentucky is a legitimate contender this season and can compete with the best of the best.

The Wildcats have prided themselves on building a winning culture and having each others backs. Head Coach John Calipari has spoken very highly on this year’s team and is confident in their abilities moving forward. Junior forward Oscar Tshiebwe has had an amazing season and is currently in contention for national player of the year. Freshman guard TyTy Washington Jr. has taken a big leadership role in huis first season and has contributed to their success.

Getting a win at Alabama is definitely doable and would be great for the Wildcats. It would improve their SEC record and get a tough road victory under their belt.

🗣 “We’re really brothers all here. We care for each other. We don’t care who has the most points. We all have the same common goal which is to win.”

🎙 @tytywashington3 pic.twitter.com/3nK4IvjSs9

— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) February 4, 2022

Alabama

The Alabama Crimson Tide have had a very up and down season. They have had some great wins against teams like Gonzaga, Baylor and LSU. However, they have had some disappointing losses to teams like Georgia and Missouri. The Crimson Tide have potential to make a deep run in the tournament if they continue to mesh together. The team knows they can beat any team on any given occasion, but an upset loss is also very possible.

All season, Alabama has had great guard play from Jaden Shackelford, Jahvon Quinerly, and JD Davison. The three guards are the focal point for the team’s success this season. In term’s of tomorrow’s game against Kentucky, they will need to be on top of their game as the Wildcats have dominated at all positions. The Crimson Tide are no strangers to upsets as they have won a few this season. A win against Kentucky is not far fetched and would probably send Alabama into the national rankings.

SEC Implications

Kentucky comes into the game at 2nd in the SEC and Alabama is tied for 6th. A loss for either team could majorly affect their position in the SEC tournament. Alabama already has a losing SEC record and can’t afford many more losses. Meanwhile, the Wildcats are chasing the Auburn Tigers No. 1 spot in the SEC. This game is must watch and will showcase some intense basketball.