Nashville, TN (Sports Network) - John Wall had 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists in his first taste of tournament basketball, as second-ranked Kentucky moved into the semifinals of the SEC Tournament with a 73-67 triumph over Alabama.

Patrick Patterson recorded 20 points and Eric Bledsoe added 10 for the Wildcats (30-2), who own 25 SEC Tournament titles and have an astounding 112-22 record in tournament play.

Kentucky will clash with No. 15 Tennessee in Saturday's semifinals after the Vols knocked off Ole Miss by a 76-65 final.

Mikhail Torrance produced 20 points and JaMychal Green posted 14 and 11 rebounds for the fifth-seeded Crimson Tide (17-15), who posted a narrow 68-63 win over South Carolina in the first round but led by five at halftime Friday and were still ahead six minutes into the second half.

Charvez Davis' three-pointer close to seven minutes into the game gave 'Bama a 10-8 lead and the Tide remained in front until nearly the same point in the second half.

Torrance followed Davis' three with one of his own to help jumpstart a 12-0 run, and a Senario Hillman three-ball just past the halfway point had the lead at 22-11.

Both teams struggled from the field down the stretch and 'Bama took a 35-30 edge into halftime. Kentucky scored the first four points of the second half to make it a one-point game, but shortly thereafter Tony Mitchell put in back- to-back buckets to put the Tide in front, 40-34.

Kentucky started its go-ahead run from there, as Wall poured in seven points during an 11-2 stretch. Bledsoe dropped in a layup to finish things off and give the 'Cats a 45-42 edge with 13 1/2 minutes to play.

The Wildcats continued their surge with a 10-1 run moments later, and Wall's tip-in with under 10 minutes remaining stretched the lead to 55-45.

Alabama was quickly back in it after Green ended a sequence of three straight Tide baskets with a layup for a 55-51 affair.

DeMarcus Cousins' layup with under six minutes to go had Kentucky's lead back to nine, but Anthony Brock countered with a three for the Tide. Baskets by Mitchell and Torrance with three minutes left had the deficit down to a single possession at 64-61.

Patterson threw down a pair of dunks around two 'Bama free throws for a 68-63 game with 1:29 left. Torrance then turned it over and missed on a drive to the hoop on the next two Alabama possessions, allowing the 'Cats to seal the outcome at the line.

Game Notes

Kentucky won its only meeting with Alabama this season, 66-55, and own a commanding 100-35 advantage in the all-time series...Kentucky shot just 39.3 percent in the first half, but connected at a staggering 63.6 percent over the final 20 minutes...Alabama ended 34.8 percent shooting for the game...Cousins had seven points and eight rebounds for the Wildcats...Mitchell scored 10 points for the Tide.

03/12 17:45:35 ET