LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – After eleven consecutive home wins this season, Mark Pope and company took their first loss at Rupp arena on Saturday afternoon to #4 Alabama 102-97. It was a pretty even matchup on the stat sheets. Kentucky shot 48% from the field and 41% from the three, tagging along 40 rebounds. Otega Oweh led the cats with a career-tying 21 points. Alabama shot 45% from the field and 38% from the three, along with 44 rebounds. Kentucky struggled to limit Grant Nelson and Mark Sears, who collectively put up 49 points. Both teams tallied 20 assists. One of the biggest difference makers in Saturday’s game was the free-throw line. The tide put up 29 foul points to the cats 16. Alabama led for the better half of the game, but Kentucky was never more than a few buckets behind. Alabama led by three points with 4:30 left, but then the tide knocked down back to back threes to take a nine point lead. After that, the cats couldn’t get a stop and get back in time. Kentucky does not have a midweek game this week. Their next appearance is on the road against Vanderbilt Saturday January 25th at 2:30pm.   Categories: Featured, Solid Blue, Sports