The last time Alabama women’s basketball met Kentucky, the ending was not in the Crimson Tide’s favor. The team has had time to learn from its mistakes in its earlier loss to the Wildcats, and it is ready to show fans how far it has come.

When the two teams played on Jan. 9 at Coleman Coliseum, Alabama was searching for its first SEC win of the 2020 season. Alabama’s offense came out firing, but the team struggled defensively, which resulted in a 81-71 loss.

Now, with Alabama reaching the back end of its schedule, it is time for the Crimson Tide and the Wildcats to meet again for a rematch, this time in Lexington, at 7 p.m. on Thursday.

“We’ve just got to have a lot of grit and toughness on the road,” coach Kristy Curry said. “We know we’re walking into an environment that is going to be difficult and we’ve got to shoot the ball better. We gotta take care of those little things defensively, so tomorrow I want to see a sense of urgency, a grittiness, toughness on the road.”

Taking care of the ball and limiting the amount of turnovers are what Curry hopes her team will focus on when going up against a heavy defensive team like Kentucky. The team expects Kentucky to put on the pressure so that is what they have been prepping for in practice.

Redshirt junior guard Jordan Lewis, junior forward Jasmine Walker, and sophomore guard Megan Abrams are three players that Kentucky can expect to show out on Thursday night.

Lewis continues to lead the team in both points and assists, while Walker is one of the best 3-point shooters, ranking fifth in the conference in 3-point makes. Abrams scores too, by getting to the line. She has converted 19 of her last 20 free throw attempts.

“I think our biggest strength is just playing together, moving the ball, and making sure everybody gets a touch,” Abrams said. “You know everybody doesn’t get to score, but as long as we’re playing together that’s what matters.”

Curry challenges her players to be more vocal and to not just focus on scoring points and making stops. She is constantly telling her players that the little things matter just as much as the rest of it.

Going into Thursday night, the team is well-prepared to face off with Kentucky again. They have taken practice to understand their weaknesses and they are looking to redeem themselves in Lexington.

“We love the opportunity we have to play Kentucky again,” Curry said. “Obviously, it didn’t turn out the way we wanted here at home. We learned a lot from that and we want to show them that.”