Malik Monk has a miserable game in Kentucky’s win on Friday

Adebayo, Hawkins and Fox earned All SEC Tournament team honors.

An early-morning shootaround helped remedy Malik Monk’s recent scoring woes.

Kentucky goes in search of its 30th SEC tournament title today after a 79-74 victory over Alabama in the semifinal round Saturday at Bridgestone Arena. Kentucky won this game easily despite shooting just 38.3 percent from the field and getting only two points from Monk, who went 1-7 from the field and even missed two free throws. And point guard De’Aaron Fox earned SEC tournament MVP honors, scoring 18 points after putting up 28 against Alabama and 20 against Georgia. “When I know Coach is trusting me and my teammates are trusting me, keep attacking, doing what you’re doing”.

Monk later followed a Fox jumper with two free throws with 1:13 left.

A large majority of those in attendance were clad in red and gold, and it sounded more like the game was played in Iowa State’s Hilton Coliseum rather than a neutral site. Malik Monk and Bam Adebayo added 17 each.

The Wildcats, winners of 11 straight, once again must be considered a contender to win it all.

“We were the 3-seed, and I think we were the least talked about [conference] 3-seed in the country”, Arkansas senior guard Manuale Watkins said. Give Kentucky credit. They made some big shots.

The lead never dipped below four again with Fox in the midst of his own personal nine-point run of excellence in the clutch.

Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson grimaced and walked angrily onto the court.

“Our team has come a long way. You know, we were pretty locked in”. “There’s no moral victories, but when you looked at both teams tonight we were right there with them under three minutes”.

The Kentucky Wildcats cruised through the SEC all year, and put a cap on another dominant conference season with a 82-65 win over Arkansas, marking UK’s third straight SEC Tournament championship.

Alabama has played in National Invitational Tournament the past two years. Daryl Macon led the Razorbacks with 18 points. “Make those plays and maybe we are going to the last minute of the game with a one point lead and have an opportunity to win”. With the tournament having concluded, the question is now where Kentucky fits in the seeding.

Things got a bit chippy during the SEC men’s basketball championship between Arkansas and Kentucky on Sunday, and the football team seemed less than pleased about the result.

Junior Riley Norris scored all 12 of his points in the second half. He was, and this isn’t an exaggeration, the only guy who could beat them in Friday’s quarterfinal. I’m proud of our guys. They have battled and fought.

The Wildcats led 14-5 after eight minutes.

In not only preserving the lead, but expanding it to the 12-point halftime cushion, Hawkins was everywhere.

So more than anything, bad timing negated a fantastic effort by the Crimson Tide. The half featured four ties and four lead changes. “We had a tough second half”.