For those interested in a high-level battle between First Team All-SEC competitors and KenPom top-20 foes to open conference play, you’re likely to get your wish. For those wanting the path of least resistance for Kentucky while stacking quality wins and building a resume after its slow-as-molasses start, well, sorry.

Saturday is going to be a serious road test for the Wildcats against Alabama, and the Crimson Tide are expected to have the star of the show running things in Tuscaloosa.

Labaron Philon, a legitimate All-American candidate who is averaging 21.9 points, 5.6 assists and 3.6 rebounds per contest while shooting 55.1 percent overall and 42.2 percent from deep, missed the team’s midweek matchup vs. Yale with a leg injury suffered in the team’s pre-Christmas win over Kennesaw State. That absence can be described as precautionary, according to Nate Oats, and he’s likely to suit up in the SEC opener against Kentucky on January 3.

It’s not confirmed just yet, but he’s trending in the right direction.

“Labaron is going through treatment,” Oats said following the 102-78 win over Yale on Monday. “He’s got a left leg injury from a contusion he got in the Kennesaw State game. It’s definitely not super serious, but he couldn’t play in a game now. We’re off tomorrow, hopefully he gets a lot of rehab. I think it’s pretty likely he plays Saturday, but I don’t want to say for sure.”

Philon was thought to be a potential first-round draft selection last offseason before he shocked the college basketball world with a return to Alabama for his sophomore campaign. The former four-star, top-40 recruit was exactly as advertised through the nonconference schedule for the Tide, and now, he’s ready to pick up right where he left off against the Wildcats.

Mark Pope knows the challenge that comes with that individual matchup — he saw it firsthand on three separate occasions last season. The 6-4 guard scored 15 points with four rebounds and four assists in a 102-97 win at Rupp Arena, then added seven points, three assists, two rebounds and two steals in the 96-83 victory at Coleman Coliseum to take the regular season sweep.

His best effort came in the SEC Tournament, though, unfortunately, going for 21 points, four assists, three rebounds and three steals in a 99-70 blowout to send UK home from Nashville.

“Well, he’s really hard to contain,” Pope said of Philon. “He’s so great off the bounce, and I’ll tell you the thing that I don’t think he gets enough credit for — maybe he does — but he is an elite-, elite-, elite-level playmaker off the bounce, man. A passer, finding guys. He’s got a real skill of threading the needle when he needs to get in balls where he does. He’s unbelievable at hitting the short roll and kind of push-screen rolls.

“He’s got an unbelievable first and second and third step, he’s a multiple move guy, he finishes well around the rim, he’s shooting at an elite-level clip. He’s a big-time player. He’s putting together a great season.”

A potential secret weapon for Kentucky to unleash on Philon and the Tide? His former prep school teammate, Jasper Johnson.

The two guards were close friends during their time together at Link Academy with Philon actually recruiting the Lexington native to play with him in Tuscaloosa. Now, they get to face off on the big stage to open SEC play.

Needless to say, the Kentucky freshman has had this one circled on his calendar after choosing the Wildcats over Alabama and North Carolina as a blue-chip recruit himself.

“Definitely (it’s a special matchup). I mean, I feel like every game is special, but that one is special for sure,” Johnson said after the Bellarmine win. “They were in my top three, and Coach Oats and I had a good relationship, but this was a better move for me. I know a couple of their players personally — like Labaron, who I’ve played with for many years. So yeah, it’ll definitely be an exciting game.”

Pope certainly hopes this one goes a little bit better than his first three against Oats and the Tide last season.