UAB @ Kentucky preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 15, 2007 ) UAB 79, Kentucky 76

Following a stunning home loss to Evansville, Kentucky has won three games in a row - the last two by at least 20 points - and aims to continue that winning streak Friday against visiting UAB. The 11th-ranked Wildcats topped Lamar by 25 points in their last game and now must contend with a Blazers team that also has only one defeat.

Kentucky rolled over Lamar 81-56 behind Tyrese Maxey's 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range. "I'm confident in myself," he said. "I feel like I'm going to make the next (shot) no matter if I miss. I've put in too much work to have that same kind of thought process after a miss. Every time I shoot, I think it's going in." Ashton Hagans chipped in 15 points and nine assists and Nick Richards had 10 points, 13 rebounds and seven blocks in the resounding victory. UAB's last win also was against Lamar, 57-48, as Tyreek Scott-Grayson scored 13 points for the poor-shooting Blazers.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, SEC Network

ABOUT UAB (4-1): The Blazers shot just 31.7 percent in the win over Lamar and missed 20 of their 25 3-pointers. Kassim Nicholson contributed 12 points off the bench and Jalen Benjamin had 10 for UAB, which has given up 52 points or less in three of its last four games. Tavin Lovan leads the team in scoring at 13.2 points per game, followed by Benjamin (12.4) and Zack Bryant (11.0), who was dismissed from the program after three games for conduct detrimental to the team.

ABOUT KENTUCKY (5-1): In addition to Richards' seven blocks, E.J. Montgomery blocked three shots in 23 minutes and Kahlil Whitney chipped in two blocks in 12 minutes against Lamar as the team finished with 13 blocks overall. "I liked the fact that we blocked shots today," coach John Calipari said. "And I told the guys, how are we not blocking shots? We should be one of those teams in our league." Maxey is 12-of-18 from the field in the last two games and is averaging 16.0 points on the season - tops on the team with Richards (14.0), Hagans (13.7) and Immanuel Quickley (13.2) not far behind.

TIP-INS

1. Kentucky F Nate Sestina (7.3 points, 7.2 rebounds) will miss approximately four weeks with a broken wrist.

2. Richards has more blocks (15) than all of his teammates combined (14).

3. Only two Kentucky players - Maxey (10) and Quickley (seven) - have made more than three 3-pointers this season.

PREDICTION: Kentucky 74, UAB 60