When Jaland Lowe is on the floor, good things tend to follow — and the numbers back it up. Unfortunately for Kentucky, those moments haven’t come often enough this season.
Lowe has scored in double figures in each of his last three games when playing at least 15 minutes, with his best performance coming in Saturday’s loss at Alabama. In Tuscaloosa, he poured in 21 points while adding three rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 27 minutes. On a night filled with frustration for the Wildcats, Lowe stood out as one of the few bright spots.
Once again, though, it came off the bench — the only role he has known through seven games in a Kentucky uniform. That decision has sparked growing frustration among fans, many of whom are calling for head coach Mark Pope to insert Lowe into the starting lineup to avoid the slow starts that have plagued the team.
Pope addressed the possibility of lineup changes following the 89–74 loss to Alabama, offering a deeper explanation during his weekly radio show on Monday. When it comes to Lowe, the message was encouraging.
“We’re trying to nurse J-Lowe through this as smartly as we can,” Pope said. “I do think that starting is in his future. He’s getting stronger and stronger and stronger. He’s actually making huge progress. … Starting is in his future. He’s got a huge impact on our team.
Lowe, for his part, downplayed the importance of starting, emphasizing consistency in mindset regardless of when his name is called.
“That’s something I’ve come to try and realize this year — just to keep the same mindset the entire time,” Lowe said. “No matter if I start or come off the bench, if you have the same mindset, you’re going to get better. … I don’t talk with them about starting. That’s their decision.
Still, Lowe acknowledged the obvious issue Kentucky must solve: slow starts. The Wildcats have repeatedly found themselves playing from behind early, a trend that must change as SEC play intensifies.
“We’ve started off slow in a lot of our games,” Lowe said. “Setting the tone early at a home game, especially versus Missouri coming off a win against Florida, is very important. That’s something we’ve got to find — and sustain for the rest of the game.”
Wednesday’s matchup against Missouri at Rupp Arena presents another opportunity to flip the script.
The conversation isn’t limited to Lowe, either. Kentucky is also integrating Jayden Quaintance, a projected lottery pick who missed significant time and is still finding his rhythm. Quaintance showed flashes of dominance in the second half against St. John’s, helping power Kentucky to its first ranked win of the season.
Whether Quaintance earns a starting role against Missouri, Mississippi State, or later in conference play, it appears inevitable as his confidence and consistency grow.
That potential trio — Lowe, Quaintance, and Mo Dioubate — has Dioubate optimistic about Kentucky’s ceiling.
“I think players — as long as they’re on the court when it matters, when the game is on the line — they don’t care as much about starting,” Dioubate said. “But a guy like Jaland — he’s our best point guard. I’d love to see him on the court with me.
“JQ is still finding himself a little bit. He’s been out for nine months. He’s finding his confidence, finding his way through the offense. I think he’s figuring it out, and I think he’s going to figure it out.
“I feel like if we allow those guys to play a little more, it’s going to build momentum for the team. It’s going to look like what people have been imagining.
That vision came into focus during Kentucky’s second-half surge against St. John’s. The question now is how soon — and how often — fans will see it again.
With SEC play heating up, the answers may be coming sooner rather than later.
