The Kentucky Wildcats’ difficult season took another concerning turn Saturday night, as Jaland Lowe was forced to exit early against Mississippi State with yet another shoulder issue.
Lowe left the game just four minutes into action after reaching in for a steal and appearing to tweak his shoulder on the defensive end. He immediately headed to the locker room and did not return. In the moments following his exit, Kentucky struggled to find its footing, allowing Mississippi State to jump out to an early 18–6 lead.
Despite the rocky start, the Wildcats responded in a major way. Kentucky settled in, flipped the momentum, and went on to dominate the Bulldogs 92–68 in what became one of the team’s most complete performances of the season — all without Lowe on the floor.
After the game, head coach Mark Pope said the program would have a clearer picture of Lowe’s status following further medical evaluation.
“We’ll know more tomorrow,” Pope said. “He just tweaked his shoulder, so we’ll see how it responds in the morning and where we’re at.”
Pope also acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding Lowe’s future this season, making it clear that nothing has been ruled out — including the possibility of shutting him down entirely.
“I think all options are on the table,” Pope said. “He’ll meet with the doctors tonight, and then tomorrow you usually get a little more data just from how it responds. We’ll start the process of making an educated decision.
“It could be no games. It could be a few games. It could be all the games. It could be any of those things.”
Lowe’s health has been a recurring concern, and his availability moving forward could play a significant role in Kentucky’s ability to build momentum as the season progresses. When healthy, Lowe has been an important piece for the Wildcats, but durability has once again become the central question.
For now, Kentucky will wait on medical evaluations and hope for clarity — but Lowe’s situation is shaping up to be one of the program’s most important storylines in the days ahead.
