Kentucky basketball has rarely had the luxury of continuity this season, and injuries have played a major role. Jaland Lowe missed six games before returning against Gonzaga for the first time since Nov. 11. Mo Dioubate has been sidelined with an ankle sprain since Nov. 18. Jayden Quaintance is still working his way back from the ACL injury he suffered in March.
Because of that, Mark Pope has been forced to experiment — particularly in the frontcourt.
Recently, Pope has leaned on Kam Williams at the four and Malachi Moreno at the five. Brandon Garrison, meanwhile, has not started since the Michigan State game, a move that clearly sent a message. Williams received a similar message Tuesday when he did not play at all in the first half, a decision Pope strongly hinted was tied to effort in practice.
That opened the door for Trent Noah, who drew the start and brought immediate energy. After the game, Pope praised Noah as being “all in,” specifically pointing to his effort level — something that showed on the floor.
With Lowe still ramping back up to full minutes and Quaintance nearing his return, Pope made it clear Friday that lineup changes are far from over.
> “I’m guessing we’re gonna have a little revolving door in who starts and who doesn’t,” Pope said. “It’s coach speak, but it’s really true. I don’t really care that much who starts. I care who plays great.
We’ve tweaked the lineup a bunch based on health, based on injury, based on performance, and we’ll probably keep doing that. … We’re searching for sure, trying to find good answers. We’re trying to find a little bit of minute continuity and just exploring a little bit.”
The message appears to be getting through. Pope said Williams followed his benching with the best practice he’s had since arriving in Lexington, while Garrison also responded with improved effort after losing his starting role.
Given Pope’s emphasis on effort — and his praise for Noah — it wouldn’t be surprising to see Noah get another start Saturday. When a team is searching for answers, it makes sense to reward players who consistently bring energy and intensity.
Whether Pope goes back to Williams or sticks with Noah, one thing is clear: effort is no longer optional. With Kentucky sitting at 6–4 and all of its wins coming in Quad 4 games, the Wildcats will need more urgency across the board as the competition stiffens — especially with a frustrated fan base watching closely.
