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Preview: Alabama looks to extend its SEC Tournament run vs. Kentucky

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Alabama Crimson Tide guard Corban Collins (3) celebrates in the closing seconds of a win over the South Carolina Gamecocks during the SEC Conference Tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Alabama won 64-53. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports.
Alabama Crimson Tide guard Corban Collins (3) celebrates in the closing seconds of a win over the South Carolina Gamecocks during the SEC Conference Tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Alabama won 64-53. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports.
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The box 

Alabama vs. Kentucky

WHEN: Noon, Saturday

WHERE: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tenn.

RECORDS: Alabama 19-13, Kentucky 27-5

TELEVISION: ESPN

ALABAMA LINEUP: G Dazon Ingram, 6-5, R-Fr., 10.4 ppg., 4.5 rpg., 3.3 assists; G/F Braxton Key, 6-8, Fr., 12.2 ppg., 5.7 rpg., 2.5 assists; F Riley Norris, 6-7, Jr., 9 ppg., 3.7 rpg.; F Bola Olaniyan, 6-7, Gr., 2.9 ppg., 6.5 rpg.; F Jimmie Taylor, 6-10, Sr., 5.2 ppg., 3.8 rpg.

KENTUCKY LINEUP:. G De’Aaron Fox, 6-3, Fr., 15.7 ppg., 4.1 rpg., 5 assists; G Isaiah Briscoe, 6-3, So., 13.1 ppg., 5.6 rpg., 4.3 assists; G Malik Monk, 6-3, Fr., 20.6 ppg., 2.6 rpg., 2.3 assists; F Derek Willis, 6-9, Sr., 7 ppg., 5.2 rpg., F Edrice Adebayo, 6-10, Fr., 13.3 ppg., 7.7 rpg.

Three points

1) Two small steps for Tide, two giant steps remaining

The prize for pulling off back-to-back wins in the SEC Tournament: a date with the No. 8 team in the nation. After upsetting South Carolina 64-53 Friday afternoon, No. 5 seed Alabama will look to continue its tournament magic when it squares up against top-seeded Kentucky in the semifinals at noon inside Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.

The Wildcats cruised into the matchup after defeating Georgia 71-60 in a game where SEC Freshman of the Year Malik Monk put up just two points in his worst performance of the season. Monk led Kentucky with 17 points in its 67-58 win over Alabama on Feb. 11 in Tuscaloosa.

Friday’s victory over South Carolina should have locked up an invitation and most likely a home game in the NIT for Alabama. However, after coming so far already in the SEC Tournament, the Crimson Tide still has bigger dreams. The only way for Alabama to advance to the NCAA Tournament would be through earning the automatic berth that comes with winning the SEC Tournament. Right now, the Tide sits just two wins away from achieving that goal. Although, at this point in the tournament, goals may be farther away than they appear.

For Alabama to win its next two games it would need to start by winning three straight SEC games for the first time this season. Since the start of SEC play, the Tide has won two straight games on five separate occasions, failing in all four of their previous attempts at three in a row. Saturday’s game is Alabama’s final opportunity to accomplish the feat.

"We haven't been a team that can't handle prosperity," said Alabama head coach Avery Johnson earlier this week. "We win a game or two and then here comes a clunker in Game 3.”

In order to advance in the tournament, the Tide will not only have to add to its winning streak, it will also be tasked with stopping a red-hot Kentucky team. The Wildcats come into the game winners of their past nine games, last falling in an 88-66 defeat to Florida on the road.

If Alabama does upset the Wildcats, it would face the winner of Saturday’s other semifinal between No. 3 seed Arkansas (24-8) and No. 7 seed Vanderbilt (19-14) in the final Sunday at noon. The Tide beat Vanderbilt 59-56 in Tuscaloosa on Jan. 7 and lost to Arkansas 87-68 in Fayetteville, Ark., on Feb. 1.

2) Who will step up for the Tide?

Alabama has relied heavily on its talented freshman duo during its two wins in the SEC Tournament. In Friday’s 75-55 victory over Mississippi State, it was redshirt freshman Dazon Ingram who rose to the occasion, leading the team with 17 points on 7 of 7 shooting while tallying five rebounds and five assists. Saturday, it was Braxton Key’s turn, as the true freshman provide 18 points on 6 of 8 shooting while recording seven rebounds and three assists.

Key, a member of the SEC All-Freshman team, leads Alabama on the season with 12.2 points per game and has recorded a team-high 19 double-figure scoring games. During the Tide’s loss to Kentucky earlier in the year, he scored a game-high 21 points on 8 of 13 shooting.

Still, for Alabama to pull off the upset Saturday the Tide will most likely need other players to step up. Junior Riley Norris came up big for the Tide on Friday, providing 12 second-half points, including two late 3s. Before that, graduate transfer Corban Collins scored 14 points off the bench in Thursday’s victory, shooting 4 of 6 from beyond the arc. Looking for all the help it can get, Alabama will hope for another performance from one of its role players on Saturday.

3) Make it ugly

It’s no secret Alabama hasn’t been much of an offensive team the season. The Tide averaged a conference-worst 68.5 points per game and only managed to score 80 or more points five times. One of those came during a four-overtime victory over South Carolina where Alabama had 20 extra minutes of game time.

If Alabama is going to cause trouble for Kentucky on Saturday, it’s going to be through its defense. Alabama is holding opponents to 64.1 points per game with an average opponents shooting percentage of 39.8.

The Tide is 16-3 when holding opponents to 62 or fewer points this season. However, doing that against Kentucky will be a difficult task. The Wildcats are averaging 86.3 points per game and have yet to score 62 or fewer points this season, putting up a season-low of 66 in their loss to Florida.

For Alabama to shut down Kentucky it will need to dominate the boards. The Tide has been outrebounded just seven times this season and held a 42-27 advantage over South Carolina on Friday. During that game, Alabama was led by graduate transfer Bola Olaniyan, who pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds. Olaniyan leads the team with 6.5 rebounds per game this season.

Friday, the 6-foot-7 forward was tasked with the job of guarding SEC Player of the Year Sindarius Thornwell and played a big role in Alabama’s ability to limit the South Carolina star to 16 points on 5 of 12 shooting.

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