TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The Alabama men’s basketball team cut Kentucky’s lead to six points in the final 2:39 of Saturday’s game in Coleman Coliseum, but the Wildcats closed out the game by outscoring the Crimson Tide 12-9 to claim a 67-58 win.

Alabama’s nine-point loss to No. 15 Kentucky especially stings because of its poor performance from the free throw line. The Tide, now 14-10 (7-5 SEC), shot a season-low 34.6 percent (9-26) from the charity stripe in its 12th SEC game of the season.

Seventeen missed free throws brought change to Alabama’s practices this week, according to head coach Avery Johnson, ahead of a road clash with the Missouri Tigers.

“Every 10 minutes in practice we are now going to the free-throw line to work on our free throws,” Johnson said Tuesday. “So whether it’s a team drill, whether it’s an individual drill, every 10 minutes or so, it’s a big part of practice.

“But I think the main thing is I don’t want to get so psychological that it just freaks the guys out when they go to the line. They’re all capable of making free throws. It just depends on what type of mindsets they’re in.”

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On the season, the Tide has shot 63.8 percent (363-569) from the free-throw line, which ranks 14th in the SEC. But Johnson noticed signs of progress in Monday’s practice.

The former NBA Coach of the Year said he challenged every player on his roster to make one free throw. If they didn’t, they had to run. After passing that test, the players had to make two in a row. That process continued until each player watched 20 straight free throws drop through the net.

Johnson also changed the approach of the players watching their teammates at the line.

“Coach Johnson has really made it known here of late that we’re taking -- especially in practice -- we’re taking a more business mindset when it comes to free throws,” senior guard Corban Collins said. “We usually shoot free throws at the end of practice and there’s a lot of talking, those type of things.

“Now it’s just focus, there’s not any talking going on. We’re just focused on shooting free throws and getting those reps in so when it comes to a game it’ll be second nature.”

Improved shooting from the free throw line will be imperative for Alabama as it travels to face an improved Missouri team Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. on the SEC Network.

The Tigers (7-17, 2-10) are the winners of two of their last three games, including a 20-point home win over Vanderbilt. They have turned things around after beginning SEC play 0-9 and losing 13 consecutive games from Dec. 10 to Feb. 2.

Although the Tide downed the Tigers 68-56 in their first meeting of the season in Coleman Coliseum, Collins and company are not taking their upcoming opponent lightly.

“They’re a totally different team than we played them here,” Collins said. “They’re playing with a lot of confidence, especially on the offensive end. They’re getting a lot of scoring from guys that weren’t necessarily contributing when we played them the first time.

“They’re just a totally different team. They come out, especially at home, both of their (SEC) wins have come in their arena. They’re just playing with a lot of confidence right now, and they’re just a totally different team from when we played them the first time.”

One noticeable difference for Missouri is the emergence of sophomore guard Terrence Phillips into the starting lineup. Phillips is averaging double-digit points (11.6) per game during the SEC portion of the Tigers’ schedule. He also leads the team in assists (4.7) and steals (1.4) per game this year.

Johnson also pointed to junior forward Kevin Puryear, who is averaging 10.6 points per game in SEC play, and how his success from beyond the three-point line has made an impact.

“I just think they’re confident,” Johnson said. “You win a few games -- they were sputtering there for a while and lost a couple of close games early in the season. But they had a breakthrough win at home and the next thing you know they’ve won two in a row at home.

“I think Puryear’s three-point shooting has been the difference. He was a pretty inconsistent three-point shooter last year. Now, with him having the ability to step out and make 2-3 threes in a game to go along with how tough he is inside on the post, that gives them another asset and something else that you have to defend.”

Following the loss to Kentucky, freshman forward Braxton Key said this Alabama team would “be undefeated in the SEC if we just made our free throws and took care of the ball.”

Entering Wednesday’s game at Missouri, those will be the major points of focus for the Crimson Tide as it looks to sweep the regular-season series against the SEC East’s Tigers.

“If you miss one, (make sure) it’s not 100 in a row,” Johnson said. “I like to watch our guys’ body language when they miss a free throw, and I didn’t like what I saw in the last game. But we’ll keep working on it. There are a lot of positives about our game, also, with the way we can defend and rebound.

“And if we can just start games better offensively, which includes making our free throws instead of going 3-for-15, then we’ll be a much better team.”

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