Kentucky basketball freshman guard Travis Perry talks about his first career start in UK’s 82-78 loss at Texas on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025.
On the eve of the game at Texas on Saturday, it dawned on Travis Perry that he was about to become the starting point guard for the Kentucky Wildcats.
Lamont Butler and Kerr Kriisa — the team’s two fifth-year point guards — were officially ruled out on Friday night’s SEC injury report. The Cats’ de facto point guard in their place — Jaxson Robinson, another fifth-year player — was ruled out, too, forced to miss a second consecutive game with a wrist injury.
Perry, a freshman guard who had played sparingly until now, was thrust into the starting lineup. He made his first career start in UK’s 82-78 loss at Texas, playing 28 minutes and scoring six points with three assists.
Kentucky coach Mark Pope praised Perry’s effort, saying he did a great job considering the circumstances.
Perry himself was pleased with his performance, but acknowledged that there’s still room for improvement.
The injury situation for Kentucky’s guards remains uncertain. Pope provided an update on Jaxson Robinson’s wrist injury, saying that he’s not yet using his injured hand.
With the Wildcats facing Vanderbilt on Tuesday, Perry may be called upon to start again. He’s ready for the challenge.
Kentucky (17-8, 6-6 SEC) needs a win against Vanderbilt (17-8, 5-7 SEC) to stay competitive in the SEC standings. The game tips off at 9:00 PM ET at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY.
