No. 3 seed Alabama had no problem beating No. 6 seed Kentucky for a third time this season with a 99-70 victory in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament.
A dunk from Clifford Omoruyi on the Crimson Tide’s first possession gave Alabama the lead, and the Tide never looked back. Kentucky kept things close for the first half, but Alabama came out of halftime hot and blew the game wide open.
Here are a few takeaways from the game.
Won the Turnover Battle
Turnovers have plagued the Crimson Tide all season long, but for the second game in a row, Alabama won the turnover battle. Not only did Alabama take care of the ball, but the Tide also forced 16 Kentucky turnovers that led to 29 points off turnovers.
Slow Start From Three
The final statline for Alabama from behind the arc was a little bit deceiving. The Crimson Tide finished 11-for-29 from the three-point line despite only hitting two in the first half. Alabama started the game cold, going 0-for-9 from behind the arc to open the game. A hot second half that delivered nine three pointers balanced the three-point stats for the game.
Philon Leads All Scorers
True freshman Labaron Philon showed why many scouts believe he will be a one-and-done player for Alabama. Philon sliced his way through the Kentucky defense for 21 points to lead all scorers. The talented freshman also dished out four assists and pulled down three rebounds.
Big Game From the Bench
Alabama’s depth shined on Friday night. The Crimson Tide’s bench outscored Kentucky’s 44-9. Alabama had a trio of guys to come off the bench and score double figures. Jarin Stevenson led the bench in scoring with 16, while Mo Dioubate and Aden Holloway both contributed 13 points apiece off the bench.
Alabama will face Florida in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN.
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