This is new territory for Mark Pope, his Wildcats, and the Big Blue Nation. Kentucky lost its first home game of the Pope era despite Rupp Arena’s best effort from the stands. Pope was dejected after the defeat,

One of the best games of the college basketball season took place on Saturday as Nate Oats and No. 4 Alabama went on the road to Rupp Arena to take on Mark Pope and No. 8 Kentucky in Lexington. The two teams battled back and forth in a high-scoring affair before Alabama eventually made a few more plays to come out on top 102-97.

Lamont Butler was listed as a game-time decision ahead of Kentucky‘s showdown against No. 4 Alabama on Saturday. Butler ultimately played but his shoulder seemed to occasionally bother him throughout the game.