Mark Pope’s Kentucky faced Alabama at their very own Rupp Arena, and in what was a nail-biting, high-octane game, the Crimson Tide managed to clinch a win. The crowd was loud but Alabama silenced it all with a game-defining 9-0 run in the final minutes, eventually winning 102-97. One of the biggest reasons behind the Wildcats’ slip-up was Andrew Carr, who’s been averaging double digits all season, but had an uncharacteristically off game. 

Well, it’s because he has been battling a back injury over the past few games. He was even on the injury report for the Mississippi State game but hit the court to score 13 points. However, against Alabama, he clearly wasn’t himself, making things shaky for his team.

His numbers? Four points on 1-4 shooting, one rebound, one assist, one steal, and four fouls in just 18 minutes. Not exactly what the Wildcats needed, especially with the stakes so high.  “I know about these backs — it’s just hard, man. Backs and bigs are complicated things, and Andrew is gutting it out,” Kentucky’s head coach said. 

He mentioned that if we go watch the film from Saturday’s game, it gas moments where the pain was evident on Carr’s face as he struggled to run back in transition defense. But he did admit that the baller is still having a really positive impact on this team.

But the coach also delivered some good news. Pope shared an update that’s sure to give Kentucky fans some hope. “(He’s) undergoing every treatment under the sun,” he said. “He was with a specialist today and got a new treatment that we’re hopeful about.” 

Now, with a much-needed break, Carr will get the chance to heal, and Kentucky can refocus on their defense, which needs a lot of work.

Analysts think Mark Pope’s team Is consistently lacking defense

Losing a home game is never ideal, especially for a team like Kentucky. Dropping their second conference game, inconsistency has been their Achilles’ heel. Analysts on The Field of 68: After Dark had plenty to say about it. 

“We saw them [Wildcats] on Tuesday, go and beat Texas A&M in their own building, giving up just 69 points, their best defensive performance of the season. Then they turn around and give a hundred to Alabama,” Rob Dauster pointed out.

This is a team that held Brown to just 54 points earlier in the season and Texas A&M to 69. But they’ve also allowed 90+ points in three of their last five games. The defense has been a glaring issue for the Wildcats, who entered the Alabama game ranked 87th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency (101.7) and outside the top 250 in scoring defense (74.5 points per game). 

The cracks were visible against Alabama, where they gave up 15 offensive rebounds and sent the Crimson Tide to the free-throw line 34 times. “That level of inconsistency on that end is not something that is gonna be conducive to them being able to make a run in March,” Dauster added. 

Offensively, Kentucky is among the best in the nation. Against Alabama, they had seven players scoring in double figures. But what good is scoring if you’re giving up 55 points in just 20 minutes? 

So, as Mark Pope & Co. gear up for their next matchup against Vanderbilt a week later, they must tighten up the defense and give Andrew Carr the time he needs to recover. With a 14-4 overall record and an 8th national ranking, the Wildcats still have a lot going for them. But if they want to make a deep run in March, they’ll need to sort out their defensive woes.