Kentucky
Mo Dioubate wishes Kentucky’s scouting report was better at Alabama: ‘The way they played, I was kind of expecting that’
If you thought Kentucky’s approach to its matchup at Alabama was bizarre, you’re not alone — Mo Dioubate, the former Crimson Tide forward under Nate Oats, was left scratching his head on the way home from Tuscaloosa, too. How did the Wildcats get caught with their pants down on so many wide-open looks for a team leading the country in three-point volume? How did they get shut down offensively with the Tide ranked among the worst high-major defenses in the country? There was plenty to dislike about the 89-74 loss, especially for a guy who was in that other locker room a year ago for three successful scouting reports leading to three wins in Mark Pope’s debut season in Lexington.
He was excited to hand his old coach and teammates a loss as a friend-turned-enemy. Instead, they were able to get the last laugh, making juggling the emotions of his homecoming and the frustrations of a loss tough.
“It was quite fun (being back), a little emotional. That’s a school that I played for for two years, where I created a lot of bonds with people over there,” he told KSR on Tuesday. “It was fun. I was looking forward to that game for a long time. We didn’t get the result we wanted, but just being back there in that environment felt good. … I was really, really excited going into that game. I’ve been looking forward to that game all year.”
As for what went wrong in Tuscaloosa that prevented the blue and white from leaving Coleman Coliseum with a victory? He brought up the scout multiple times after allowing 38 attempts from deep with 15 makes for a team coming off a 54-attempt, 22-make effort against Yale just days before.
They inexplicably played right into Alabama’s strengths.
“I feel like the game could have been a lot better if we had made more of an emphasis on the scout,” Dioubate said. “The way they played, I was kind of expecting that in a way because I played for Oats at Alabama. I was expecting a lot of threes, a lot of flare screens going into that game. I feel like we could have emphasized that more, being on the catch. Knowing that they’re an isolation team, being in the gaps early to build out, I think there’s a lot of things we could have done better.”
The film breakdown wasn’t fun once the Wildcats returned to Lexington, as Pope made clear on his radio show Monday evening. That includes his own personal coaching evaluation.
“There were some brutal moments in the film session, where you know you just have to watch yourself — me included — not perform the way that you expect to, where you don’t live up to your standard,” he said.
What got under Dioubate’s skin the most during the postgame autopsy after the dust settled? Well, again, the scout.
“The most frustrating part was seeing that we could have done better at the scouting report. It felt like they were doing the same thing over and over,” he continued. “Just thinking we could have done a lot better on the defensive side. With the attention to detail and the personnel, we should have taken it more seriously.”
What did he learn about this group in Tuscaloosa? That attention to detail could have been better when coming up with the scout.
“I didn’t learn something that I didn’t know already. It was just the attention to detail. I feel like we could have emphasized that a lot more in the scout. Some of the plays they were doing, the offensive movements, the peel to a flare (screen) — I feel like we could have studied it a little more and emphasized it more. I think that would have been a major difference in the game.”
It wasn’t just finger-pointing for Dioubate, either — he knows he’s partially to blame, too. No one crushed it for Kentucky on both sides of the floor across 40 minutes of game action.
He could’ve done more to will the Wildcats to victory, setting the tone early before the wheels fell off without a serious shot to recover.
“As far as me, I think I could have impacted the game more — I had a mismatch on me the whole game,” he added. “I felt like I could have been more dominant there. The game was just going really fast and we were just trying to stop the bleeding. We could have done better in-game adjustments when they started making all those threes. I think there was a lot that we could have done better for this game.”
You may have heard Nate Oats’ analysis of the Wildcats’ struggles after the matchup, saying he knew he could exploit Kentucky’s questionable passing tendencies — particularly in the frontcourt.
The way he saw it on film going into the game, this team struggles to move the ball, despite its misleading assist rates when considering high-major competition vs. cupcakes. More specifically, the bigs don’t look to pass once they’re fed the ball in the post.
“Our thing was, they throw it in and these guys aren’t trying to pass,” Oats said. “They’re trying to score the ball.”
Pope didn’t necessarily agree with the opposing coach’s assessment of his bigs, but Dioubate himself doesn’t mind the criticism.
“That’s just the kind of guy he is,” he said of his former coach. “He’s super intelligent when it comes to knowing basketball. He does his research a lot. He’s probably better than a lot of people in the country. That’s what he does. I didn’t know that, honestly. I was kind of surprised hearing that. I think him saying that allowed us to see what we could work on better. From the post scoring and all of the options from there.”
Needless to say, it’s clear Dioubate wanted this one against his former school.
13 things more likely to happen than winning the Powerball jackpot
Hoping to win the Powerball jackpot? Here are 13 things more likely to happen than becoming an instant millionaire.
The Kentucky Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Thursday, June 25, 2026 winning numbers for each game.
Cash Ball
02-08-24-32, Cash Ball: 09
Check Cash Ball payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 3
Evening: 6-3-0
Midday: 9-6-0
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 4
Evening: 5-7-6-0
Midday: 5-2-6-6
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Millionaire for Life
03-13-14-34-45, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Courier Journal digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.
On Thursday, Kentucky’s home and away SEC opponents for the 2026-27 season were revealed and on top of learning the three opponents who they will play twice, there are some very intriguing matchups. In conference play, Kentucky will face six teams who are among the top 25 in many preseason rankings.
In SEC play, Kentucky will play Tennessee, Vandy and Ole Miss all both home and away. The home matchups include Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Vandy. As for the road tilts, the Wildcats will face Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State, Missouri, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee and Vandy. Let’s take a look at some interesting developments from the schedule release.
John Calipari returns to Rupp Arena (again)
In Calipari’s first year with Arkansas, he got the best of Kentucky when he came into Rupp Arena and left with a 10-point victory, a game where you could really feel the tension all game long in the building from Kentucky fans, which translated onto the court with the players. Last season, it was Kentucky who shocked everyone when they stole one on the road against a top 20 Arkansas team after a rough up-and-down season up to that point. Now, the two will face off again as Kentucky will look to get the win in Rupp and make sure Calipari doesn’t get two in a row in the building. It’ll be another highly-anticipated showdown.
Kentucky hits the road at Texas
This is shaping up to be a major challenge for Kentucky next season and may even end up being one of the biggest games of the season. Texas is seen by many as a clear top 10 team, with some even having them within the top five and when you combine that with the fact that the game is on the road, the Wildcats will have their hands full. The Wildcats fell to the longhorns in the 2024-25 season, and it’ll be a much stiffer challenge this time.
Which game could be a trap?
We don’t have the game-by-game dates yet, so it’s hard to say with a lot of confidence, but opponent-wise, Georgia could really give Kentucky fits. In Pope’s first year, his team struggled handling the physicality of the Bulldogs and now, they’ve retained one of their best guards for another year and have added physicality through the portal. Mike White’s teams love to make opponents uncomfortable and they could do that once again down in Athens. Another sneaky team to watch is Oklahoma, who will have very good guard play. Kentucky will face both teams on the road.
Overall, it’s a pretty fair SEC schedule for a Kentucky team who has the capability of a return to being atop the conference once again. Mark Pope has such a system-fit squad and he can do some damage in the SEC.
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Fourth of July festivities to celebrate in Louisville
See the Fourth of July festivities planned in Louisville for America’s 250th birthday celebration.
Fourth of July is almost here, and Kentuckians are getting ready to light up the sky.
Before you plan your fireworks celebrations, it’s important to know what is and isn’t allowed under Kentucky law. Here’s what to know about fireworks laws and safety tips in the Bluegrass State ahead of Independence Day.
Can you set off fireworks in Kentucky?
Yes. As long as you live in a place where local ordinances don’t prohibit it, according to the Kentucky State Fire Marshal’s website.
Are fireworks legal in Louisville?
In Louisville or Jefferson County, larger display fireworks are not legal due to a local law. Some consumer products that don’t leave the ground, such as sparklers, are allowed.
If the cautionary label on the firework has the words “explosive,” “emits flaming pellets,” “flaming balls,” “firecracker,” “report” or “rocket,” it is automatically a no-go, according to the Louisville-Jefferson County Code of Ordinances.
But, smaller ones like sparklers, cylindrical or cone fountains, wheels and ground spinners are legal. Still, don’t let the size fool you − they can burn up to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
Learn more: Check out these 4th of July events taking place across Kentucky
How to use fireworks safely
The state fire marshal suggests following the following advice when using fireworks:
- Use fireworks outdoors.
- Obey local laws.
- Keep a bucket of water or a working water hose nearby.
- Use fireworks as intended and avoid altering them or combining them.
- Never relight “dud” fireworks. Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.
- Spectators should keep a safe distance from the person lighting the firework (the individual lighting it should wear safety glasses).
- Alcohol and fireworks do not mix. Have a “designated adult operator.”
- Do not use homemade fireworks or illegal explosives.
- Report illegal explosives to the fire or police department in your community.
- Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks.
- Read and follow all instructions on the label.
Former Courier Journal reporter Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez contributed. Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.
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