The Kentucky Wildcats have a huge road test to kick off their SEC conference play on Saturday as they travel to Tuscaloosa and face off with the Alabama Crimson Tide.
A matchup that has become marquee over the last few seasons, the Tide had the Cats’ number last season. Now in the second year under Mark Pope, Kentucky is hoping to make some noise against one of the best coaches in college basketball at the moment in Nate Oats.
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Similar to Kentucky, however, Alabama’s point guard, Labaron Philon, has been banged up as of late and missed Monday night’s win over Yale. After the game, Oats was asked about his availability for the SEC opener on Saturday, and it sounds like the star guard will return.
“Labaron is going through treatment,” Oats said. “He’s got a left leg injury from a contusion he got in the Kennesaw State game. It’s definitely not super serious, but he couldn’t play in a game now. We’re off tomorrow, hopefully he gets a lot of rehab.
“I think it’s pretty likely he plays Saturday, but I don’t want to say for sure.”
Philon is averaging 21.9 points, 5.6 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 55.1% from the field and 42.2% from deep.
If Philon and Jaland Lowe can take the court, the point guard matchup will be a fun one.
