Kentucky basketball is once again juggling early-season injuries at the guard position, and the timing couldn’t be worse. Four games into the schedule, junior guard Jaland Lowe has suffered multiple injuries to his right shoulder over a month-long stretch, leaving No. 12 Kentucky (3–1) scrambling for solutions ahead of Tuesday’s Champions Classic showdown with No. 17 Michigan State.
But this time, Mark Pope isn’t panicking.
Instead, he’s turning to a surprising group to help stabilize the offense: Kentucky’s big men.
With Lowe out, Kentucky goes committee-style at point guard
Senior Denzel Aberdeen, sophomore Collin Chandler, and freshman Jasper Johnson have all seen expanded ballhandling roles. Add in Otega Oweh, the preseason SEC Player of the Year, and Kentucky still has functional guard play.
But the moment Lowe went down, Mark Pope’s system shifted into something much more unique — because he built this roster so that any of his players could initiate offense.
Even the frontline.
Why Mark Pope trusts his big men to run the offense
If there’s one thing Mark Pope has proven throughout his coaching career, it’s that he loves a versatile frontcourt. Kentucky’s big-man trio — Mouhamed Dioubate, Brandon Garrison, and Malachi Moreno — all possess guard-like skills.
They aren’t old-school bigs who just post up and rebound.
They dribble.
They pass.
They initiate offense.
“It’s one of the nice things about the way we play,” Mark Pope said after Kentucky’s blowout win over Eastern Illinois. “We have a lot of options.”
His track record backs it up:
At BYU, center Aly Khalifa averaged four assists.
Last season at Kentucky, Amari Williams averaged over three assists and became an NBA Draft pick.
Brandon Garrison nearly averaged two assists per game as a freshman.
As Malachi Moreno put it plainly:
“Mark Pope loves a playmaking big.”
How Kentucky uses its bigs as ballhandlers
The variety is what makes it work:
Moreno can grab a rebound and lead the break.
Dioubate attacks from the top of the key like a 6’8” guard.
Garrison acts as a passing hub in the half-court.
This versatility forces defenses to constantly change tactics — which is exactly why Mark Pope designed it this way.
The growing pain? Turnovers.
Garrison’s four giveaways against Eastern Illinois were a reminder that freedom comes with responsibility. Pope said afterward that simplifying decisions will help him cut down the mistakes.
Assistant coach Mikhail McLean, who works with the big men and is considered a rising star, plays a major role in this development.
“He’s always teaching us the different ways people can guard us,” Moreno said. “I just try to be ready for whatever comes.”
Michigan State is the toughest defensive test yet
Despite the injuries, Kentucky enters the week ranked No. 8 in adjusted offensive efficiency (KenPom). But Michigan State’s defense is one of the best in the country.
Tom Izzo’s Spartans:
Haven’t allowed an opponent to score 70
Have held teams to 40.8% shooting
Forced nearly as many turnovers as they’ve allowed assists
Kentucky’s own numbers in its only high-major game — the loss at Louisville — weren’t good enough: 14 assists, 14 turnovers.
If the Wildcats want to win at Madison Square Garden, ball security will be everything.
“If we’re going to make all these passes, we have to protect the ball,” Moreno said.
A spotlight moment for Mouhamed Dioubate
One of the most intriguing storylines Tuesday is Mouhamed Dioubate, a Queens native making his first-ever appearance at Madison Square Garden.
“I’ve always handled the ball,” Dioubate said. “That’s New York City basketball.”
He also isn’t shy about what he expects to do in Pope’s system:
“I think it’s going to be tough for teams to guard us,” he said. “The versatility we have can really mess with people.”
