Kentucky heads down to Baton Rouge shorthanded, but for the first time in weeks, there is at least some clarity.
We now know Jaland Lowe will not play the rest of the year, and Jayden Quaintance will be sidelined until the swelling in his knee subsides. While losing two stars is painful, the definitive news provides a strange boost: the remaining players finally know their roles. The "will they, won't they" uncertainty is gone. They know exactly what they must do.
LSU might be in a similar boat. Star guard Dedan Thomas is listed as doubtful. If he can't go, it would be a massive blow for the Tigers; Thomas has averaged 16 points and 7 assists since transferring from UNLV this past offseason.
Kentucky Shakes Up the Starting Lineup
Mark Pope has made significant changes to the starting five, a move he hinted would be matchup-dependent throughout the season. Against LSU, expect Kentucky to insert Kam Williams and Andrija Jelavic into the opening group.
Projected Starters:
- G: Denzel Aberdeen
- G: Otega Oweh
- F: Kam Williams
- F: Andrija Jelavic
- C: Malachi Moreno
The Rotation:
- Mo Dioubate
- Jasper Johnson
- Brandon Garrison
- Trent Noah
The Tactical Breakdown
This new lineup tilts the floor offensively. Jelavic offers a much more polished post-scoring option than Brandon Garrison, though neither is a high-volume threat from deep. While Jelavic is a better passer than Mo Dioubate, he doesn't bring the same relentless rebounding or defensive motor. The trade-off is clear: you lose some grit in the starting unit, but you gain offensive flow, while Dioubate becomes a high-energy change-of-pace weapon off the bench.
The Domino Effect:
- Williams & Noah: Starting Oweh and Williams clears a specific role for Trent Noah. He can now enter the game to spell Williams at the 3, offering a "like-for-like" substitution. Both can step out and knock down the three. While Noah isn't the defender Williams is, his communication and offensive IQ allow the two to interchange seamlessly.
- Moreno & Garrison: Garrison moves to a pure backup role, spelling Moreno without the complication of trying to fit alongside Quaintance.
- The Backcourt: Jasper Johnson comes in as the primary ball-handler, allowing Denzel Aberdeen to work off the ball as a scorer while Oweh gets short breathers.
Each role is crafted to maximize the available bodies. While it hurts to have two of your best players out, the plan is finally clear.
It starts tonight against LSU.
Game details and viewing information
- Opponent: LSU Tigers
- Date: Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026
- Time: 7:00 PM ET
- Location: Pete Maravich Assembly Center (Baton Rouge, LA)
- TV Channel: SEC Network
- Announcers: Matt Schumacker, Richard Hendrix
- Streaming: Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, FuboTV, Sling TV (Blue andOrange Plan), ESPN+ premier
- Radio: Stream live at UKAthletics.com or on iHeartRadio via WLAP 630.
- Local FM/AM Stations:
- Lexington: 98.1 FM / 630 WLAP
- Louisville: 840 AM WHAS
- London: 103.9 FM WWEL
- Hazard/Pikeville: 101.1 WSGS
- Madisonville: 93.9 FM WKTG