No. 19 Kentucky has misplaced three of its final 5 video games and is coming off an uncompetitive 94-78 residence loss to No. 1 Auburn on Saturday.
The Wildcats (19-10, 8-8 Southeastern Convention) will attempt to get again within the win column once they play their last residence sport of the common season Tuesday night time in opposition to LSU (14-15, 3-13) in Lexington, Ky.
Kentucky first-year coach Mark Pope mentioned his group had “really been making strides,” however in opposition to Auburn “we regressed just a little bit.” He added that Saturday was “a extremely, actually horrible day for us.”
The Wildcats’ scenario turned more difficult with Pope’s announcement that senior guard and second-leading scorer Jaxson Robinson (13 factors per sport) can have surgical procedure on his wrist and can miss the remainder of the season.
“Clearly, we’re coping with some difficult rotation modifications,” Pope mentioned. “However that is the place our life is.”
Robinson was injured throughout observe Feb. 7. He performed via the issue the subsequent day in a victory in opposition to South Carolina, then missed the subsequent 4 video games. He returned to play within the first half of a victory at Oklahoma final Wednesday, scoring seven factors, however he missed the second half after aggravating the damage, and the choice to have surgical procedure was made Friday.
Fellow senior Koby Brea known as the absence of Robinson “a brilliant huge loss for us as a group.”
However Pope mentioned the flexibility of third-leading scorer Lamont Butler (12.4 ppg) to play via a shoulder damage “was most likely the perfect factor for us” in opposition to Auburn.
“He acquired two extra video games to essentially get to the elite degree that he is performed at for many of the season,” Pope mentioned.
Kentucky will go to Missouri on Saturday earlier than heading into the SEC match.
LSU had some absences of its personal to take care of in an 81-69 loss at then-No. 24 Mississippi State on Saturday. Main rebounder Corey Chest (6.6 per sport) missed the competition due to a foot damage, and fourth-leading scorer Vyctorius Miller (8.9 ppg) performed simply seven minutes earlier than being sidelined by a leg damage.
In the meantime, ahead Derek Fountain performed for the primary time since turning into in poor health earlier than a win at Oklahoma two weeks in the past and scored 9 factors, making all 4 of his field-goal makes an attempt.
The Tigers had been much more dependent than common on season scoring chief Cam Carter, who had 23 factors in opposition to the Rebels, his second-highest complete within the final 9 video games, and he shot 9 of 16 from the ground and 5 of 10 from past the arc.
“Within the first half, we actually needed to try to free him up off some screens,” LSU coach Matt McMahon mentioned. “I believed he did a pleasant job in his motion with out the ball there. We acquired him a pin-in nook three in transition. He acquired us off to an amazing begin on the offensive finish. I believed we acquired actually attractiveness within the first half.”
Carter scored 18 of his factors to assist the Tigers take a 37-35 halftime lead, however they could not sustain within the second half. Carter’s teammates completed 4 of 26 on 3-pointers.
“Most likely as a bunch we did not shoot it at a high-enough proportion (39.1), particularly behind the 3-point line,” McMahon mentioned.
–Discipline Degree Media
