NASHVILLE — Kentucky basketball entered this year’s SEC Tournament on a three-game losing streak in the event, the first time the program ever had dropped three straight league tournament matchups.
That losing skid is history thanks to Otega Oweh, whose game-winning bucket against Oklahoma in Thursday’s second round gave UK an 85-84 victory at Bridgestone Arena.
Not a single member of the 2024-25 Wildcats were part of the SEC Tournament losses the past three years. But that doesn’t mean they weren’t aware.
“Our coach, he does a great job of letting us know what we’re playing for,” fifth-year senior guard Koby Brea said, referring to Mark Pope. “We’re playing for ourselves and the university. Obviously, there’s a whole lot more people that games like this impact.
“(So we’re) just trying to represent the whole state of Kentucky, really.”
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Kentucky might have one win in the books this week. But the Wildcats aren’t anywhere close to satisfied heading into tonight’s quarterfinal clash with Alabama.
“We’re not coming here just to play the game. We’re trying to win,” Oweh said. “At the end of the day, that’s what it is.”
Can the Wildcats finally down the Crimson Tide and seal a spot in the semifinals? Or will Alabama top Kentucky for the third time this season?
Follow along below with live updates from Nashville:
Kentucky basketball’s starting lineup vs. Alabama in SEC Tournament
Here are Kentucky’s starters vs. Alabama:
And here’s Alabama’s lineup:
Kentucky starting guard Lamont Butler will not play vs Alabama in SEC Tournament quarterfinals
Fifth-year senior guard Lamont Butler, who has an injured shoulder, won’t suit up tonight versus Alabama. The 6-foot-2, 208-pound California native was listed as “out” on the SEC’s availability report, which posted at 7 p.m. ET Friday, ahead of the team’s conference tournament quarterfinal clash versus Alabama.
What channel is UK basketball vs Alabama in SEC Tournament on today?
The SEC Tournament contest between the Wildcats and Crimson Tide will air on SEC Network. Karl Ravech (play-by-play), Jimmy Dykes (analyst) and Molly McGrath (sideline) will have the call.
Authenticated subscribers can access SEC Network via TV-connected devices or by going to WatchESPN.com, the WatchESPN app or ESPN+.
You also can stream SEC Network on Fubo, which offers a free trial.
How to listen to Kentucky vs Alabama on the radio
Tom Leach (play-by-play) and Jack Givens (analyst) will have the UK radio network call on 840 AM in Louisville and both 630 AM and 98.1 FM in Lexington.
You can also listen online via UKAthletics.com.
Kentucky vs Alabama basketball betting odds
Betting odds: Kentucky is a 7 ½-point underdog (-112) on DraftKings, which set the over/under at 179 ½ points (-110). The money line odds are Kentucky +240, Alabama -298.
Kentucky basketball 2024-25 schedule
- Oct. 23: exhibition vs. Kentucky Wesleyan ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 123, Kentucky Wesleyan 52
- Oct. 29: exhibition vs. Minnesota State Mankato ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 98, Minnesota State Mankato 67
- Nov. 4: vs. Wright State (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 103, Wright State 62
- Nov. 9: vs. Bucknell (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 100, Bucknell 72
- Nov. 12: vs. Duke (Champions Classic; State Farm Arena, Atlanta) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 77, Duke 72
- Nov. 19: vs. Lipscomb, (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 97, Lipscomb 68
- Nov. 22: vs. Jackson State (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 108, Jackson State 59
- Nov. 26: vs. Western Kentucky (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 87, Western Kentucky 68
- Nov. 29: vs. Georgia State (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 105, Georgia State 76
- Dec. 3: at Clemson (ACC/SEC Challenge) ∣ SCORE: Clemson 70, Kentucky 66
- Dec. 7: vs. Gonzaga (Climate Pledge Arena; Seattle) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 90, Gonzaga 89 (OT)
- Dec. 11: vs. Colgate (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 78, Colgate 67
- Dec. 14: vs. Louisville (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 93, Louisville 85
- Dec. 21: vs. Ohio State (CBS Sports Classic; Madison Square Garden, New York) | SCORE: Ohio State 85, Kentucky 65
- Dec. 31: vs. Brown (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 88, Brown 54
- Jan. 4: vs. Florida (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 106, Florida 100
- Jan. 7: at Georgia | SCORE: Georgia 82, Kentucky 69
- Jan. 11: at Mississippi State | SCORE: Kentucky 95, Mississippi State 90
- Jan. 14: vs. Texas A&M (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 81, Texas A&M 69
- Jan. 18: vs. Alabama (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Alabama 102, Kentucky 97
- Jan. 25: at Vanderbilt | SCORE: Vanderbilt 74, Kentucky 69
- Jan. 28: at Tennessee | SCORE: Kentucky 78, Tennessee 73
- Feb. 1: vs. Arkansas (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Arkansas 89, Kentucky 79
- Feb. 4: at Ole Miss | SCORE: Ole Miss 98, Kentucky 84
- Feb. 8: vs. South Carolina (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 80, South Carolina 57
- Feb. 11: vs. Tennessee (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 75, Tennessee 64
- Feb. 15: at Texas | SCORE: Texas 82, Kentucky 78
- Feb. 19: vs. Vanderbilt (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 82, Vanderbilt 61
- Feb. 22: at Alabama | SCORE: Alabama 96, Kentucky 83
- Feb. 26: at Oklahoma | SCORE: Kentucky 83, Oklahoma 82
- March 1: vs. Auburn (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Auburn 94, Kentucky 78
- March 4: vs. LSU | SCORE: Kentucky 95, LSU 64
- March 8: at Missouri | SCORE: Kentucky 91, Missouri 83
- March 13: vs. Oklahoma (SEC Tournament, second round; Bridgestone Arena, Nashville) | SCORE: Kentucky 85, Oklahoma 84
- March 14: vs. Alabama (SEC Tournament, quarterfinals; Bridgestone Arena, Nashville), 9:30 p.m., SEC Network
Record: 22-10
Kentucky basketball 2024-25 roster
- Ansley Almonor (forward, senior)
- Koby Brea (guard, graduate)
- Lamont Butler (guard, graduate)
- Andrew Carr (forward, graduate)
- Collin Chandler (guard, freshman)
- Grant Darbyshire (guard, junior)
- Brandon Garrison (forward, sophomore)
- Walker Horn (guard, junior)
- Kerr Kriisa (guard, senior)
- Trent Noah (forward, freshman)
- Otega Oweh (guard, junior)
- Travis Perry (guard, freshman)
- Jaxson Robinson (guard, graduate)
- Amari Williams (center, graduate)
Alabama basketball 2024-25 schedule
The Crimson Tide is 24-7 this season. Alabama enters 4-4 in its last eight games. But its most recent outing was notable: It knocked off top-ranked Auburn, on the road, in overtime.
UK is 117-43 all time versus Alabama, but the teams have split the past six meetings; the Crimson Tide has won three of the past four editions of the series.
Click here to see the Crimson Tide’s full 2024-25 schedule.
Alabama basketball 2024-25 roster
Want to learn the Crimson Tide’s roster?
Click here for player bios and more.
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Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
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