No. 17 Kentucky sets record in beatdown of No. 13 Alabama

Kentucky Wildcats guard Justin Edwards (1) celebrates after making a basket during the first half against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

No. 17 Kentucky sets impressive record in beatdown of No. 13 Alabama

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 2/24/24

After treading water for the better part of a month, No. 17 Kentucky came alive on Saturday, torching No. 13 Alabama 117-95 in front of a packed house at Rupp Arena.

The Wildcats played frontrunners for the entirety of the matchup, ultimately scoring 117 points, which is the most in program history against a ranked opponent, per Jeff Borzello of ESPN.

Five Kentucky players finished in double-figures, led by a career day from freshman guard Justin Edwards. Edwards led all scorers with 28 points, shooting a perfect 10-of-10 from the field while going 4-of-4 from beyond the arc.

WHAT A SEQUENCE FROM SHEPPARD THEN EDWARDS @KentuckyMBB pic.twitter.com/n15rW8qkcK
— CBS Sports College Basketball (@CBSSportsCBB) February 24, 2024

Meanwhile, as a team, the Wildcats never gave Alabama much breathing room. Kentucky used an overwhelming offensive attack to build as much as a 37-point lead in the second half, scoring 18 fast break points and converting 16 Crimson Tide turnovers into 29 points.

However, if there's one concern to take away from Kentucky's performance, it is on the defensive side.

Despite playing sloppily, Alabama shot 56.7% from the field, scoring 95 points, while its own subpar play on defense helped put them in an early hole.

The victory for the Wildcats makes them a near lock for the NCAA Tournament with wins over No. 14 Auburn, No. 24 Florida, No. 10 North Carolina and now No. 13 Alabama.

Following a 12-2 start, Kentucky stumbled, going 6-6 over the last 12 games. However, Saturday's bounce-back victory after a heartbreaking loss to LSU showed what the Wildcats are capable of while reinforcing the belief that no team is looking forward to facing them come March.

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