Jaland Lowe came into the Kentucky Wildcats‘ 107-59 win over Valparaiso Friday night with 16:33 to play in the first half, and in the 18 minutes he played showed why he may be the Cats’ most valuable offensive
player.
The Wildcats’ offense flows much better with Lowe on the floor. There’s a pop when the ball moves, and that’s key for an offense still finding its rhythm early in the season.
Lowe scored six points on Friday night, going 2-7 from the field and 2-2 from the free-throw line. He was 0-2 from three-point range. However, the shooting stroke is going to come. What’s important is that Lowe tied for the team lead with five assists. The Wildcats had 27 assists on Friday night, and Lowe was one of two players with five.
When meeting with media members after the game, Lowe was succinct in how he’s feeling coming off a tweaked shoulder.
“I’m out here, so I’m 100%,” Lowe said.
Twenty-three seconds after he entered the game, Lowe found Denzel Aberdeen for a three-pointer for his first assist in a Wildcats uniform.
“Oh man, I was so happy that he was my first assist,” Lowe said. “To be honest with you, it felt great, just making plays for my guys, and I’m glad Denzel was the first one to give me an assist.”
Lowe scored his first points as a Wildcat with a lay-up just over a minute later. His best play came with 12:08 remaining in the second half, when he found Malachi Moreno for a basket while lying on his back on the other end of the floor. Moreno not only made the basket, but he was fouled for a flagrant one on Valparaiso and made both of the ensuing free throws.
Finishing with a +/- of 23, Lowe isn’t used to coming off the bench. Eventually, that won’t be the case as his offensive game becomes more valuable to this Wildcats team.
“I mean, I would just say it was like my freshman year. It’s not new to me coming off the bench,” Lowe said. “My freshman year, I went through that plenty of times, but it’s just something that everyone goes through, and that’s not too hard for me. I just know to bring a positive attitude and play my game.”
Lowe also had an assist to Collin Chandler for a three-pointer with 8:23 remaining in the second half.
“I thought Jaland was great,” Kentucky head coach Mark Pope said. “He can get to wherever he wants to on the floor. That means a lot to us; that really has a really huge function for our team. I thought he was terrific defensively. I think he’s a difference maker for us. He’s going to be massively important to this team. He’s got a ton of experience, and he’s just cat quick and can get wherever he wants whenever he wants, and that’s going to be important for us.
“I mean, most of us mere mortals dream about being able to move on the floor as quickly as he can and then just spread the way he can. J-Lo is delivering passes right into the pocket, and they are 35 hook laser passes, right? It’s off the move, it’s just really impressive. I don’t think there are a lot of players in college basketball who could make the plays that he makes. Earning us really good shots was pretty special. A bunch of our guys were great at hitting the roll tonight, but he was a big part of that. He just brings so much to the game. He will open this game up for us and make it a little bit easier. And that’s important.”
It feels like Lowe is just getting started, and the rest of the SEC and the country are about to quickly realize how good of an offensive player he is.
