Kentucky fans have been anxiously waiting for any update on Jaland Lowe’s status — and Mark Pope finally gave one, though it left many scratching their heads.
“I think short-term it has an impact,” Pope said. “I think long term it’s going to make us better.”
The Kentucky head coach explained that the early absence of both Lowe and Denzel Aberdeen has forced the Wildcats’ staff to get creative — testing out different lineups, rotations, and matchup strategies earlier than expected.
“It forces you to dig under the hood and explore a bunch of things,” Pope said. “Not having DA and JLo made us look at some things in different ways, which is going to help us in the long run. It really does. I mean, that’s actually coach speak, but it’s coach speak because it’s true.”
While those experimental lineups have shown flashes, the results haven’t been pretty. Kentucky’s offense has sputtered at times — scoring just 70 points in the loss to Georgetown on only 20 made field goals, with 15 turnovers. The Wildcats looked slightly more in rhythm when Aberdeen returned against Nicholls State, but still far from polished.
The good news? Lowe’s long-awaited debut may finally be near.
“I think so,” Pope said when asked if Lowe could play soon. “He’ll have a full practice today. He’s been really good the last couple days, so I hope so.”
Kentucky continues to search for its offensive identity without one of its most dynamic guards, but Pope believes the adversity will pay dividends once the full rotation is finally healthy.
The Wildcats face Valparaiso tonight at 7 PM on SEC Network+, so get your phones and tablets ready — this might just be the night fans finally see Jaland Lowe suit up.
