Kentucky Basketball guard Jaland Lowe has battled a lingering shoulder injury this season, but head coach Mark Pope remains confident in the junior’s ability to contribute for the duration of the season.
During his Monday call-in show, Pope opened up about Lowe’s impact on Kentucky, his lingering shoulder injury, and whether another addition could be made as insurance.
“I have every expectation Jaland is going to be with us the whole season, and we’re excited about it,” Pope stated.
Lowe’s season has
been marked by setbacks, including leaving the floor just seven seconds into the first half against St. John’s before re-entering after halftime to play 15 minutes, scoring 13 points on 5/7 shooting with three assists and three rebounds.
Despite Lowe’s injury history — including two separate instances in which he dislocated his shoulder — Pope has no immediate plans to seek a midseason guard addition.
“We have a great roster. I’m not sure we’re shopping a lot right now,” Pope said of a potential roster addition.
While it would be nice to have some insurance, Pope is a believer in what Jasper Johnson and Denzel Aberdeen can bring to the table.
“Jasper is going to grow into a starring role. D.A. is becoming more and more comfortable being a full-time point, but also on the move at the 2,” said Pope.
The Wildcats will continue to monitor Lowe’s condition carefully and manage his minutes. It’s unclear if Lowe will play on Tuesday when Kentucky hosts Bellarmine before getting nearly two whole weeks off until the SEC opener at Alabama on January 3rd.
“He’s pretty sore today. We’ll see how it is tomorrow,” Pope said. “We’ll continue to proceed with caution with these guys. He’s bounced back really fast, so I know he’s got great basketball in him.”
Kentucky fans can take comfort in Pope’s faith that Lowe and the current roster are equipped to push the Wildcats deep into conference and NCAA play. Let’s hope that’s how it plays out.
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