When the news broke just before tipoff that Jaland Lowe was out with "soreness," a collective wave of anxiety rippled through Big Blue Nation.
We have talked all week about how thin Kentucky is at the point guard position. We have worried about what would happen if Lowe had to miss time. We have debated whether Mark Pope needs to go into the portal for insurance.
Jasper Johnson spent the next 40 minutes silencing those fears.
Thrust into the primary ball-handling role, the freshman didn't just survive; he thrived. Johnson finished with 11 points, 7 assists, and just one turnover in 22 minutes of action.
Jasper Johnson 'was being a great leader'
What stood out wasn't just the stats, but the poise. Bellarmine threw a "mucky" zone defense at Kentucky that was designed to confuse young guards. Instead of panicking or forcing bad passes, Johnson dissected it.
"Jasper was the one who kind of made us think, 'This is going to be fun, like we will score against this,'" Mark Pope said. "I had a lot of confidence in him today on the offensive end."
Johnson credited his preparation, noting that he’s always mentally ready for the "next man up" moment.
"Coach Pope is always telling me to be ready," Johnson said. "I know if [Lowe] goes down, I am the next man up... He is talking to me and I am always talking to him. He is being a great leader."
Mark Pope says Jasper was a 'greedy' playmaker
Pope did offer one critique, noting that Johnson was almost "too greedy" with his opportunities to create for others, sometimes trying to thread the needle through three defenders. But for a freshman guard in Rupp Arena who has never played the point before, that is a good problem to have.
Johnson showed he can get downhill, he can read a zone, and he can deliver the ball on time and on target.
Kentucky needs Jaland Lowe back for Alabama, Pope confirmed the decision to sit him was purely precautionary to "buy a little extra time" for healing. But after Monday, fans can sleep a little easier knowing that if Lowe needs a breather, the keys to the offense are in safe hands.