Kentucky head coach Mark Pope struck a cautious tone Monday while addressing the status of junior point guard Jaland Lowe, who re-aggravated his lingering shoulder injury during Saturday’s win over Mississippi State.
Speaking at his weekly press conference, Pope acknowledged that Lowe is still dealing with discomfort and that the program is carefully weighing how to proceed.
“He was in some pain yesterday, and so we’re kind of doing consults,” Pope said. “I was hoping he was going to wake up yesterday morning and just feel perfect, but he didn’t. We’ve got a meeting today at four, and we’ll see what kind of game plan we can put together.
Lowe first injured his shoulder earlier this season and has played through it for weeks. After aggravating the issue again against Mississippi State, Pope said the junior guard would explore every option moving forward — including the possibility of season-ending surgery — depending on how the shoulder responds.
Through nine games this season, Lowe is averaging 8.0 points, 2.4 assists, and 2.1 rebounds per contest. His shooting efficiency has taken a hit, as he’s shooting 35.8 percent from the field and 20.8 percent from three-point range. Even so, Lowe appeared to be finding his rhythm prior to the setback, scoring in double figures in three straight games against Indiana, St. John’s, and Alabama.
More clarity on Lowe’s status could come soon. The next official update is expected Tuesday night at 8 p.m. ET with the release of the SEC availability report.
Until then, Kentucky remains in a wait-and-see mode as Lowe and the medical staff determine the best long-term path forward. As of now, Lowe is not expected to play Wednesday night when the Wildcats travel to Baton Rouge to face LSU.
For Kentucky, the hope remains that its dynamic guard can return healthy — but for now, patience appears to be the priority.
