The set-up: The 22-10 Kentucky Wildcats opened the season as the AP's No. 5 team but with a 10-8 SEC record, came into the conference tourney as just the fourth seed. However, the Wildcats cruised past Georgia 62-49 on Friday to notch their 11th consecutive win against the Bulldogs and stay on track for the school's fourth consecutive SEC Tournament title. Up next will be the 19-14 Alabama Crimson Tide, who erased a 10-point halftime deficit to shock top-seeded Auburn 81-63 on Friday (the Tide were a modest 8-10 in SEC play, entering the tourney as the 9th seed).

Alabama: Collin Sexton, who was named the SEC Co-Freshman of the Year earlier in the week, continued where he left off after hitting the game-winning floater to beat eighth-seeded Texas A&M on Thursday, by pouring in 31 points in the win over Auburn. Sexton (19.0-3.7-3.6) connected on six 3-pointers and grabbed seven rebounds against Auburn to become the first Crimson Tide player to score over 30 points in an SEC Tournament game since Rod Grizzard in 2002. Dazon Ingram (10.1 & 5.7) added 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists as Alabama exploded for 50 points in the second half to advance to its second conference semifinal in as many years. Donta Hall contributed 11 points and six rebounds but left with 6:41 left in the second half with a head injury. The junior forward is questionable for Saturday's clash, which is not good news for Alabama fans, as he's the team's second-leading scorer (10.9) and leading rebounder (6.8)..

Kentucky: Calipari's team is again, packed with freshman.The 6-7 P.J. Washington (10.7 & 5.4) led the way against Georgia with 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the floor to go along with seven rebounds. PG Gilgeous-Alexander (13.2 & 5.0 APG) scored 10 of his 15 points in the first half and dished out nine assists while the 6-9 Kevin Knox, who shared the conference freshman of the year honors with Sexton and is Kentucky's leading scorer at 15.7 PPG, also added 15 points and a team-high nine rebounds. The 6-9 Jarred Vanderbilt, yet another freshman who leads the team with 7.9 rebounds per game, was sidelined with an ankle injury and is listed as day-to-day going forward.

The pick: This isn't one of Calipari's higher scoring teams (Wildcats average 76.4 PPG to rank 93rd) but it is holding opponents to just 40.8% on FGs (28th), including only 29.6% on threes (3rd in the nation!). Alabama's shocker bver the top-seeded Auburn Tigers likely cemented the Crimson Tide's first NCAA Tournament berth since 2011-12. Kentucky has beaten Alabama 16 of the last 18 times (including NINE straight time) and ousted them in semifinals of this tourney last year, 79-74. With Alabama off that YUGE upset over hated Auburn plus playing its third game in three days, Kentucky's 10th straight win over Alabama and its 13th win in its last 14 SEC Tournament games, won't be as close as last year's semifinal win over the Tide. Make Kentucky an 8* play.