At long last, it’s time for the return of Kentucky basketball. The Wildcats took the floor in a sleepy pre-Christmas battle vs. Bellarmine on December 23, but their last matchup against serious competition came three days before that one vs. St. John’s on Dec. 20. Fast forward 14 days from that win over the Johnnies and 11 after the Knights, and here we are, UK traveling down to Tuscaloosa to take on No. 14 Alabama to begin SEC play.
Things didn’t go well against the Tide in any of Mark Pope‘s first three tries in year one leading the Cats, but can they steal one in enemy territory to get 2026 started on a high note?