TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Aden Holloway tied his collegiate career high with 26 points, Labaron Philon Jr. added 17 points, and the 14th-ranked Alabama men’s basketball team beat Kentucky 89-74 in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams Saturday at Coleman Coliseum.
Alabama has won 76 conference games since Nate Oats was hired as head coach in 2019. That’s the most in the SEC during that span.
Kentucky fought back from a 21-point deficit, cutting the Crimson Tide’s lead to single digits at 77-68 with 5:38 to play, but the Wildcats were outscored 12-6 down the stretch, when all but two of the Alabama’s points were scored by Holloway and Philon.
Holloway, who had five assists, shot 7-for-11 from the field in the game, making six of the 15 3-pointers by Alabama (11-3). The Tide entered the game ranked No. 3 in the country in 3-pointers per game at 13.1.
Houston Mallette scored 14 points and Amari Allen added 11 with nine rebounds as the Tide won their fourth straight meeting with the Wildcats.