Mark Pope delivered an unsettling update on the state of his roster, confirming a key member of the rotation is highly doubtful for the next game. The high anxiety surrounding injuries directly contradicts the team's philosophical commitment to depth.
He built the roster to play off each other, there is no superstar. And now with that depth in question, it leaves fans asking what is the team going to look like?
The loss of rotation security hurts the Cats
Mo Dioubate Injury:
Dioubate, who suffered an ankle injury late in the MSU loss, is highly unlikely to play. Pope noted:
"I don't think he'll practice today... I would think there's probably some significant chance he won't play."
Dioubate's absence is a huge blow to the rotation. Kentucky ranks highly in Total Rebounds/Gm (#21) and Def Rebounds/Gm (#12), stats which depend heavily on depth and effort from players like Dioubate.
That did not show up Tuesday in NYC as Michigan State outrebounded Kentucky by 14, and bullied them on the glass and in the post. Losing Mo forces other players to take on heavier, likely less efficient, minutes.
Jayland Lowe Update:
The status of Jayland Lowe is still highly uncertain following the reinjury to his shoulder:
"We're still in consultation, still seeing how rehab goes... it really is a day-to-day kind of process."
Pope specified that Lowe has "really good mobility," but the issue remains "stability and strength." He can move around and do what he needs to do, but any bump could knock it right back out and he would be much weaker until it fully heals. It is a more severe injury than what Lamont Butler played with last year.
The committee problem
Pope admitted he doesn't think Kentucky will have "one voice that kind of runs this whole thing," preferring a "committee deal." That makes sense until you lose several players and the leadership vaccum is gone. You have infighting and bickering that leads to performances like Michigan State.
The lack of a clear leader, combined with the loss of two rotational bodies, only fuels the narrative that Kentucky is too "discombobulated" to function properly. The staff must quickly find consistency when the roster itself is inconsistent.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoys downtime with his family and Premier League soccer. You can find him on X here. Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion