Kentucky head coach Mark Pope shared encouraging news Thursday about point guard Jaland Lowe’s recovery, confirming that the sophomore will miss the upcoming exhibition against No. 1 Purdue, but is progressing ahead of schedule.
Speaking with reporters during his pre-Purdue media availability, Pope praised Lowe’s rapid bounce-back following the shoulder injury he suffered during last week’s Blue-White scrimmage.
“He’s doing good. His recovery has been epically fast. He’s feeling really good,” Pope said. “He was back shooting yesterday at full speed. We’ll probably keep him out of live contact for at least another week, just to make sure. He’s a massively important part of this season, and we want to make sure he’s healthy.”
Pope noted that Lowe has been “pain-free” much sooner than expected, calling his resilience “really, really impressive.”
The timing of Lowe’s setback isn’t ideal as Kentucky prepares for its toughest preseason test against the top-ranked Purdue Boilermakers, but the Wildcats won’t be short on backcourt options. Pope pointed to Denzel Aberdeen, Jasper Johnson, and Collin Chandler as players who could step into the lead guard role in Lowe’s absence.
Friday’s exhibition will serve as a major early measuring stick for Pope’s revamped Kentucky roster — one that features a mix of experienced returners and promising newcomers.
“This game is going to be an incredibly important data collection point,” Pope said. “It’ll help us see how different combinations work, especially with Jaland out right now.”
Lowe’s progress has been a source of optimism throughout the week. After initially injuring his non-shooting shoulder during the Blue-White scrimmage, early imaging showed no significant damage, and Pope has remained confident that his starting point guard will be ready well before the regular season begins.
Kentucky will face Purdue on Friday at 6 p.m. EST on SEC Network+, with fans eager to see how Pope’s group handles its first true test — even without its floor general.
