SEC-opening loss shows how far Kentucky is from conference mountaintop

The Kentucky Wildcats (9-5, 0-1 in SEC) received a glaring wake-up call in Saturday's SEC-opening loss to the Associated Press No. 14 Alabama Crimson Tide (11-3, 1-0 in SEC). 

The traditional basketball power is far from the conference's upper tier in head coach Mark Pope's second season, with no obvious path to an in-season improvement. For a program used to competing for national title, that could make 2025-26 nothing more than a wasted season.

Kentucky loses SEC opener by double digits to No. 14 Alabama

Kentucky led for only one minute and 20 seconds and trailed by as many as 21 points in the 89-74 loss. Of Alabama's 31 field goals, 15 came from three-point range. Meanwhile, the Wildcats were 4-of-19 (21.1 percent) from beyond the arc. They finished with nine assists, one off their season-low — set in a 67-64 loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels (13-1, 1-0 in ACC).

The team has struggled against quality opponents this season, going 1-5 in Quad 1 games. Per Barttorvik.com, Kentucky ranks No. 243 in Division I in assist rate against top 50 teams. Overall, it was tied for No. 196 in three-point percentage (33.7 percent) entering Saturday.

Junior transfer Jaland Lowe's strong game off the bench — he finished second on the team with 21 points — after missing time earlier this season with a shoulder injury, offered a small glimmer of hope. He averaged 5.5 assists at Pittsburgh last season and could be the team's best ball-handling option going forward.

But the Wildcats lack elite shooting from the perimeter, limiting what the offense is capable of. With so many high-scoring teams in the SEC, they could tread water in the conference's middle class all season. As for the NCAA Tournament, Kentucky projects as a 7-seed, which would give it a tough path through the bracket, making it difficult to get out of the opening weekend.

After going 24-12 and reaching the Sweet 16 in Pope's first season, the program appears to be on the decline in Year 2. Kentucky demands excellence on the hardwood, but that looks like an unattainable goal through this year's first 14 games. The Wildcats were a step behind the Tide all game, and it's unlikely they catch up this season.