Kentucky lists multiple starters as questionable for weekend matchup vs. South Carolina
Kentucky has hit a rough patch in Mark Pope’s first season leading the program and will be looking to turn things around at home Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, the Wildcats could be without multiple starters for this weekend’s game vs. South Carolina.
On Friday night, the pre-game availability report was dropped, and Kentucky is still listing guard Lamont Butler as questionable. Butler last played in a Jan. 25 loss to Vanderbilt but is among the team’s top scorers and 3-point threats.
Joining Butler on this Friday’s availability report is Jaxson Robinson. Robinson has started all 22 games this season and played well in Butler’s absence, including scoring 18 points in a recent loss to Ole Miss.
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Robinson (13.6) and Butler (13.2) are Kentucky’s 2nd and 3rd-leading scorers this season behind Otega Oweh’s 16 points per game. Both players also shoot the deep ball at a strong clip with Butler shooting 40% from 3-point range with the Wildcats. Butler is also the team’s top point guard and leads the team with 4.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game.
Kentucky appeared to turn a corner in the tough SEC schedule with a road win over Tennessee at the end of January, but the Wildcats have not sustained it. Back-to-back losses to Arkansas and Ole Miss give Kentucky 4 losses in the past 5 games while falling to 4-5 in SEC play.
Kentucky’s Jaxson Robinson and Lamont Butler are in the starting lineup for Saturday’s SEC matchup with the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Wildcats coach Mark Pope had told ESPN that Robinson and Butler were both “genuine game-time decisions.”
Pope said Robinson had a “brutal collision” in practice Friday and injured his wrist. While Robinson did not suffer a fracture, the senior guard does not have “great mobility,” according to Pope.
Butler has been out with a shoulder issue since Jan. 25. He missed the past three games but was cleared for noncontact practice on Thursday.
Robinson (13.6 PPG) and Butler (13.2) are second and third on the team in scoring, respectively.
Iowa State star forward Milan Momcilovic will return from missing nearly a month with a hand injury to play for the No. 8 Cyclones against TCU on Saturday, coach TJ Otzelberger told ESPN.
Momcilovic, a 6-foot-8 sophomore, last played on Jan. 11, a win at Texas Tech. The injury occurred in practice after that game.
Otzelberger said Momcilovic told the staff he “feels great and is excited to return.” He gives the Cyclones a huge boost offensively, as he averages 10.3 points per game and shoots a team-high 44.3% on 3-pointers.
