The 12th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats earned a significant victory in SEC play, defeating No. 22 Alabama 65-56 on Thursday.
The win not only marked Kentucky’s first triumph over a ranked opponent in conference play but also secured the program’s 500th victory at Historic Memorial Coliseum.
Kentucky entered the game with a strong 5-0 start in SEC competition before a 61-55 loss to Texas A&M on Jan. 23 slowed their momentum. Thursday’s nine-point win was the closest margin of victory in any of their conference wins thus far, emphasizing their dominance.
Despite shooting 41% from the field, the Wildcats capitalized from beyond the arc, sinking nine three-pointers—an encouraging sign after going just 1-of-18 in their loss to Texas A&M. Following a 13-three performance against Arkansas on Sunday, Kentucky has now totaled 22 three-pointers in its last two games.
Senior guard Georgia Amoore led the way with 16 points (6-of-16 FG) and nine assists. She also secured an offensive rebound and drained a three-pointer to push Kentucky’s lead to 46-38 with 2:53 left in the third quarter.
Sophomore center Clara Strack made a significant impact with 14 points (7-of-14 FG) and 14 rebounds, including a mid-range jumper in the final two minutes of the first half.
Defensively, Kentucky limited Alabama to 31.3% from beyond the arc. Senior guard Sarah Ashlee Barker, coming off a 36-point performance against Vanderbilt, led the Crimson Tide with 22 points (8-of-18 FG) and seven rebounds. Senior guard Zaay Green added 14 points, but no other Alabama player scored more than eight.
Alabama (17-5, 4-4 SEC) looks to snap a two-game losing streak when it faces Georgia on Sunday, hoping for additional contributions alongside Barker.
For Kentucky (18-2, 7-1 SEC), a tough stretch of SEC play is just beginning. The Wildcats travel to face No. 13 Oklahoma on Sunday, the first of five ranked opponents in their final eight games. To stay in contention with SEC-leading No. 2 South Carolina, Kentucky will need to continue its strong perimeter shooting.
