Kentucky Wildcats Face Off Against Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa

Tuscaloosa, AL – The Kentucky men’s basketball team is set to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide Saturday evening in a highly anticipated matchup. Coverage on the UK Sports Network will begin at 4:30 p.m. ET, featuring the Jack Burford Chevrolet Countdown to Tip-off with Cameron Mills and Dave Baker. The game will be called live by Tom Leach and Jack ‘Goose’ Givens.

Despite hopes for a stronger lineup, the Wildcats will be without key players as guards CJ Fredrick and Sahvir Wheeler have been officially ruled out due to respective shoulder and wrist injuries. This decision came following the team’s availability report released Friday evening, which revealed that Kentucky has only nine players available for the game.

“Certainly, we’re missing pieces. We would love to get them back,” said Coach Mark Pope. “We hope we get them back at some point, but in the meantime, we’re going to go compete with what we have and we’re going to do it well.”

Butler has been a significant contributor this season, averaging 12.5 points, 4.6 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game, along with posting career-high shooting percentages of 50.9 overall and 38.5 from beyond the arc in 19 games played. Meanwhile, Robinson has averaged 13.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists over 23 games.

The Wildcats previously faced Alabama on January 18 in Lexington, where Butler and Robinson combined for 28 points. But they will now need to adapt without those crucial points as they gear up to face a formidable opponent.

On the Alabama side, player updates indicate that Latrell Wrightsell Jr., Derrick Reid, and Houston Mallette have also been declared out for the matchup. However, standout guard Mark Sears is listed as probable to play.

Under the new SEC policy, players are categorized as “out”, “doubtful”, “questionable”, or “probable” on availability reports, allowing teams and fans to better anticipate player participation. On the day of the game, players will be classified as “available,” “game-time decision,” or “out,” to provide further clarity.

Fans can follow the action through a new live blog on the UK Sports Network’s website and additional coverage will be available after the game with the Wildcat Wrap-up, featuring discussions with players and coaches.

The stakes are high for both teams as they compete in a top-five matchup at Coleman Coliseum, with the opening tip-off set for 6 p.m. ET. Kentucky aims to bounce back, while Alabama looks to maintain its momentum after a strong season.