TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama head coach Nate Oats made it very clear what their expectations have been for his group after downing Ole Miss. If the Crimson Tide desires to be competing for an SEC Championship, it should handle its video games at house.

Saturday’s check would be the group’s hardest as Alabama performs host to Kentucky who sports activities a 117-40 report towards the Crimson Tide. Whereas the Wildcats come into this yr’s matchup unranked, Oats stated he would not anticipate a drop-off from the eight-time nationwide champions.

“It’s nonetheless Kentucky. You’d have to do that for yr after yr after yr,” Oats stated. “Now, I’ll say this, folks’s reminiscence will get a little bit shorter right here. Kentucky’s Kentucky. They’ve been doing it for a number of years, particularly since Cal took over. We received the SEC two years in the past and have been in the midst of the pack final yr and the center of the pack the yr earlier than. We’ve bought to do that for a number of years in a row to get the place I really feel like individuals are going to have a look at us the way in which they have a look at Kentucky, to be trustworthy with you.”

With Alabama on the lookout for its second 3-0 begin in convention play for the reason that 1986-87 season, this is the whole lot it’s good to know because the No. 7 Crimson Tide hosts the Wildcats.

Who: Kentucky (10-4, 1-1) vs. No. 7 Alabama (12-2, 2-0)

When: Midday CT, Saturday, Jan. 7

The place: Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Watch: ESPN (play-by-play: Karl Ravech; analyst: Jimmy Dykes)

Hear: Crimson Tide Sports activities Community (play-by-play: Chris Stewart; analyst: Bryan Passink; sideline: Roger Hoover; engineer: Tom Stipe)

Jaden Bradley: 6-foot-3, 185 kilos, freshman

Stats: 9.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.8 apg, 44.0% FG, 25.0% 3-pt

Mark Sears: 6-foot-1, 185 kilos, junior

Stats: 14.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.7 apg, 43.6% FG, 43.3% 3-pt

Brandon Miller: 6-foot-9, 200 kilos, freshman

Stats: 19.1 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 2.1 apg, 43.0% FG, 45.1% 3-pt

Noah Clowney: 6-foot-10, 210 kilos, freshman

Stats: 9.8 ppg, 8.7, rpg, 0.9 apg, 52.3% FG, 30.8% 3-pt

Charles Bediako: 7-foot, 225 kilos, sophomore

Stats: 5.5 ppg, 6.4, rpg, 0.6 apg, 60.0% FG

Sahvir Wheeler: 5-foot-9, 180 kilos, senior

Stats: 9.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 6.8 apg, 40.7% FG, 38.5% 3-pt

Cason Wallace: 6-foot-4, 193 kilos, freshman

Stats: 12.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.9 apg, 50.4% FG, 42.9% 3-pt

Chris Livingston: 6-foot-6, 220 kilos, freshman

Stats: 5.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.5 apg, 44.3% FG, 39.1% 3-pt

Jacob Toppin: 6-foot-9, 205 kilos, senior

Stats: 11.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.8 apg, 45.1% FG, 17.4% 3-pt

Oscar Tshiebwe: 6-foot-9, 260 kilos, senior

Stats: 16.8 ppg, 13.8 rpg, 1.5 apg, 61.1% FG

Charles Bediako wasn’t going to unveil any a part of Alabama’s plan of stopping Oscar Tshiebwe.

Irrespective of what number of probing questions he fielded from reporters, the middle stated that Alabama has a plan to decelerate Tshiebwe after which complimented his sport.

“He is a superb participant, is at all times transferring,” Bediako stated. “He is by no means like taking any breaks off. He is a superb participant who is aware of find out how to work his angles.”

The final time Bediako and Tshiebwe squared off the Democratic Republic of the Congo native recorded a double-double towards the Crimson Tide, tallying 10 factors and 15 offensive rebounds. Bediako tried his finest to maintain up together with his 12 factors on 4-of-4 capturing and eight rebounds, however Tshiebwe together with Tyty Washington proved to be an excessive amount of en path to a 66-55 Kentucky win in Coleman Coliseum. The middle took it to a different stage simply two weeks later with 21 factors and 14 rebounds towards Alabama in Rupp Area.

Tshiebwe went on to turn into the unanimous Nationwide Participant of the Yr, changing into the primary participant in program historical past to perform the feat.

The towering 6-foot-9 heart picked up proper the place he left off final season by amassing an SEC-leading seven double-doubles in 2022. He is additionally averaging a double-double by 12 video games tallying 16.8 factors per sport whereas main the nation in rebounds with 13.8 per sport.

“We’ve performed some good bigs,” Oats stated. “Sissoko at Michigan State. We performed UConn. We performed Gonzaga with Timme. We’ve performed three of the very best bigs within the nation. Now, we’ve bought the returning nationwide participant of the yr. We’ve had a little bit little bit of expertise enjoying bigs. We haven’t been completely profitable with all of them. Clearly, we misplaced two of these three video games I simply listed. We’ve gotta perform a little bit higher job. I feel Charles shall be higher.”

After beginning the season at No. 4 within the Related Press Ballot, Kentucky will come into Coleman Coliseum unranked for the primary time since 2021.

Regardless of 4 losses, together with two high 10 groups in No. 9 Gonzaga and No. 10 UCLA, the Wildcats have come underneath hearth from followers and critics about their current play. One of many areas the naysayers have highlighted is Kentucky’s offense citing inconsistent capturing and a heavy reliance on Tshiebwe this season.

Oats disagrees with the Wildcats’ critics.

“Their offense is definitely actually good, for those who go have a look at KenPom proper now their offense is best than our offense,” Oats stated. “I am not fairly certain what their followers are stressed about as a result of for those who have a look at their efficient area aim proportion is excessive as a result of they’re making photographs.”

Coming into Saturday’s matinee sport, Kentucky sports activities a three-point area aim proportion of 39% which leads the SEC. That top three-point proportion is buoyed by freshman Cason Wallace who’s second on Kentucky in scoring, averaging 12.9 factors per sport whereas capturing an environment friendly 42% from behind the arc.

“We will not let their shooters get off,” Oats stated. “Cason Wallace has performed effectively for them. Sahvir Wheeler in my open will get their offense going. He will get into the lane and creates offense for the opposite guys. He is capturing the ball higher and he is pretty selective with capturing three-pointers. … This can be a huge sport towards a group that was picked to compete for a nationwide championship.”

— Alabama is seeking to enhance to 3-0 in SEC play for the primary time since 2020-21 and second time for the reason that 1967-87 season

— Brandon Miller was named to the John R. Wood Midseason Prime 25 Watch Listing this week

— Miller has been named SEC Freshman of the Week thrice this season

— Alabama has a program-record 4 top-25 wins earlier than the New Yr. Its earlier excessive was when it defeated two ranked groups in 2015, when the Tide knocked off #17 Notre Dame and #20 Wichita State previous to the beginning of convention play

— Alabama has posted 4 wins over top-25 opponents in back-to-back seasons for the primary time in program historical past

— Alabama is the primary group since 1965-66 (Duke) with a number of wins over the AP No. 1 group earlier than the New Yr

— Miller is averaging 19.1 factors per sport, probably the most by any freshman within the nation and No. 34 overallMiller is the one freshman within the nation to rank within the high 65 in factors per sport (No. 35) and rebounds per sport (No. 61)

— Miller is certainly one of 10 gamers in Division I, the one participant within the SEC and the one freshman within the nation that has scored 260 factors and recorded 120 rebounds this season

— Noah Clowney ranks No. 51 within the nation at 8.7 rebounds per sport, which is second finest amongst freshman within the nation

— Alabama ranks No. 1 within the nation in rebounds per sport (46.5) and defensive rebounds per sport (32.5), whereas additionally rating No. 5 in offensive rebounds per sport (13.9) and No. 9 in rebound margin (+9.1)