TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alex Poythress scored a career-high 25 points and had seven rebounds and No. 9 Kentucky beat Alabama 77-61 to bounce back from a loss.

Kentucky (12-3, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) fell to LSU 85-67 on Tuesday night but hasn't lost consecutive conference games since March 1, 2014.

The Wildcats held a 16-point lead with just over a minute remaining in the first half, but Alabama (9-5, 0-2) went on an 18-6 run for the next 6 minutes, spanning halftime, to come within four points.

Kentucky scored a quick six points in the next 2 minutes and mostly held a double-digit lead the rest of the game.

Jamal Murray had 21 points and five rebounds and Isaiah Briscoe scored 12 points and also grabbed five rebounds for the Wildcats.

Retin Obasohan led Alabama with 21 points. Arthur Edwards had 11 points and Riley Norris had 10.

The Wildcats outrebounded the Crimson Tide 43-25.

Poythress and Murray had Kentucky's first 27 points over the first 16 minutes, but then Tyler Ulis added a pair of baskets for a 13-point lead. After that, the pair slowed, only combining for 19 points the remainder of the game.

Alabama set a season low with seven turnovers and outshot Kentucky, percentage wise, from behind the arc and at the free-throw line, but Kentucky shot 28 for 51 (55 percent) from the field.

TIP-INS

Kentucky: Murray has scored at least 20 points in four games this season. ... Obasohan scored at least 21 points for the third straight game, and he's now scored at least 20 points in five games this season. ... Kentucky starts conference play with a 2-1 record in the SEC for the fourth time in the last six years.

Alabama: The Crimson Tide are 0-2 in SEC play for the first time since 2007 when they dropped the first four games in conference play.

UP NEXT

Kentucky: Hosts Mississippi State on Tuesday night.

Alabama: Hosts No. 22 South Carolina on Wednesday night.