Feb 18, 2007, 0:15 GMT
Tuscaloosa, AL - Richard Hendrix scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds, and the 25th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide topped No. 20 Kentucky, 72-61.
Ronald Steele scored 15 points and doled out seven assists for Alabama (19-7, 6-6 SEC), which had lost two straight entering the game. Mykal Riley added 12 points for the Tide.
Joe Crawford scored 17 points and added eight rebounds for the Wildcats (18-8, 7-5), who have lost three straight. Randolph Morris scored 15 points for Kentucky, and Ramel Bradley added 12 points.
A Crawford three pulled Kentucky to within 65-61 with just over a minute left, but Alabama scored the last seven points of the game to close out an 11-point win.
The Tide extended its eight-point lead to 13 early in the second half, opening the half with a 9-4 stretch. A Justin Tubbs basket closed the stretch, pushing the Alabama lead to 39-26 just over four minutes into the half. The Tide kept Kentucky at arm's length, until an 11-2 Wildcats stretch cut into the Alabama lead.
Trailing 43-32, Kentucky answered with the run, cutting to within 45-43 on a Morris free throw with just over eight minutes left in the game. Alabama responded with a 13-4 run, however, and a Tubbs free throw boosted the Tide advantage to 58-47 with just over four minutes left.
Kentucky launched on an 11-3 run, capped by Crawford's three, to pull back to within four points, but that was as close as the Wildcats would get.
Alabama took control of the game from the opening tip, launching on a 15-2 run to start the game. Kentucky closed to within 30-22 by halftime.
Game Notes
Kentucky's 22 points in the first half was a season low for a half.The Wildcats shot just 5-of-22 from behind the arc.Alabama improved to 13-1 at home on the season..Kentucky still owns a 95-35 advantage in the overall series.
Kentucky's 22 points in the first half was a season low for a half.
The Wildcats shot just 5-of-22 from behind the arc.
Alabama improved to 13-1 at home on the season.
.Kentucky still owns a 95-35 advantage in the overall series.
© 2007 The Sports Network
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