Mark Sears scored 30 points to help No. 4 Alabama notch a 96-83 victory over No. 17 Kentucky on Saturday night in Southeastern Conference play at Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Aden Holloway added 19 points and Chris Youngblood scored 14 for the Crimson Tide (22-5, 11-3 SEC), who snapped a two-game losing streak. Clifford Omoruyi had 11 points and a season-best 15 rebounds for Alabama.
Koby Brea scored 20 points for Kentucky (18-9, 7-7), which fell to 2-6 on the road. Amari Williams produced 17 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, Andrew Carr also scored 17 points and Travis Perry added 12 points and a season-high four steals as the Wildcats lost for the sixth time in 10 games.
Kentucky’s Otega Oweh scored just two points on 1-of-9 shooting before fouling out with 6:49 remaining. He scored in double digits in every game prior to Saturday.
The Wildcats were without Lamont Butler (shoulder) for the third straight time and sixth in the past eight and Jaxson Robinson (wrist) missed his fourth consecutive contest.
Alabama shot 52.5 percent from the field, including 11 of 31 from 3-point range. Holloway made five treys for the Crimson Tide.
Kentucky made 42.6 percent of its shots and was 9 of 26 from behind the arc.
The Wildcats were down 13 with under five minutes left before pulling within 86-79 on Collin Chandler’s 3-pointer with 2:52 left.
But Sears hit two free throws, and soon stole the ball and stopped in transition to drill a 3-pointer to push the lead to 12. Youngblood followed with a 3-pointer to make it 94-79 with 1:38 left and end any suspense.
Earlier, Sears’ 3-pointer gave Alabama a 53-42 advantage with 17:13 left in the game.
The Wildcats bounced back and moved within 61-58 on a 3-pointer by Brea with 13:15 to go.
Kentucky trailed 70-66 after Brea’s hoop with 8:18 left before the Crimson Tide went on a 10-2 burst. Youngblood hit a 3-pointer and converted a three-point play during the dash that gave Alabama a 12-point lead.
Youngblood buried a trey to make it 83-70 with 4:41 left.
Sears scored 15 first-half points as Alabama led 47-40 at the break. Brea tallied 11 points in the half for the Wildcats.
Kentucky started strong and took a 20-9 lead on Brandon Garrison’s dunk with 14:45 left in the half.
The Wildcats later used a 10-2 burst to open up a 30-18 advantage with 9:37 remaining before halftime. The Crimson Tide responded with nine straight points and 24 of the next 28 to take a 42-34 lead with 3:18 remaining before the break.
–Field Level Media
