Once again, Kentucky was left trying to climb out of a hole that had already grown too deep.
If only second halves counted, the Wildcats might’ve had a different outcome in Tuscaloosa. Kentucky actually outscored Alabama 40–39 after the break. But the damage had already been done. A 50–34 halftime deficit gave the Crimson Tide all the cushion they needed, and despite a spirited effort, Kentucky never truly put the game in jeopardy.
The 89–74 defeat was Kentucky’s fifth loss to a ranked opponent this season. The Wildcats now sit at 1–5 in those games, and the trend is impossible to ignore. Slow starts have defined nearly every one of those losses. Across those six matchups, Kentucky has been outscored 256–183 in first halves, trailing by 20 or more points four times. Since Mark Pope took over, the Wildcats have fallen behind by at least 20 points eight times — and they are 0–8 in those games.
Unlike last season, when Kentucky routinely showed the ability to erase massive deficits, this year’s group hasn’t found that same gear. Against Alabama, the Cats opened the game with a quick 5–0 burst, but it didn’t last. The Tide responded with a 9–0 run and steadily took control. A Houston Mallette three midway through the half pushed the lead into double digits, and Alabama carried a commanding advantage into the locker room, stretching it to as many as 21 before halftime.
Kentucky did come out with urgency after the break. An 11–5 run cut the deficit to 10 at the first media timeout and briefly sparked hope. But every surge was met with an answer. With 3:32 remaining, Aden Holloway buried his sixth three of the game — a deep pull-up near the Alabama logo — pushing the lead back to 14 and effectively sealing the outcome.
The question remains: why does Kentucky keep putting itself in these positions?
Perimeter defense continues to be a glaring weakness. Alabama knocked down 10 three-pointers in the first half alone, while Kentucky managed just two. Lineup choices have also drawn attention. Jaland Lowe and Jayden Quaintance again came off the bench. Quaintance struggled to make an impact, but Lowe — along with Otega Oweh — powered the Wildcats’ second-half push. Lowe finished with a season-high 21 points in just 27 minutes.
There’s also the reality that this roster isn’t built to chase big deficits. Kentucky went just 4-for-19 from three-point range, including 2-for-10 after halftime. Oweh and Kam Williams each connected from deep, but Williams played only 16 minutes, even after his eight-three performance against Bellarmine. Notably, Kentucky’s most effective lineup from the St. John’s game — Lowe, Oweh, Quaintance, Williams, and Mo Dioubate — logged just 1:41 together and never appeared as a unit in the first half.
When asked about Williams’ limited role, Pope offered a measured response.
“We’re searching a little bit,” Pope said. “We tried a bigger lineup that wasn’t always super functional today. There will be ways we can work Kam in, and Kam also needs to be more aggressive when he gets his opportunities.”
As for possible changes to the starting lineup, Pope said the staff evaluates those decisions constantly. While a lineup tweak alone won’t fix everything, it may be the most logical place to start.
Until Kentucky figures out how to avoid these recurring first-half collapses, late pushes will continue to feel empty — and losses like this will keep piling up.
