No. 19 Kentucky has misplaced three of its final 5 video games and is coming off an uncompetitive 94-78 house 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 remaining house sport of the common season Tuesday evening towards LSU (14-15, 3-13) in Lexington, Ky.
Kentucky first-year coach Mark Pope mentioned his workforce had “truly been making strides,” however towards Auburn “we regressed slightly bit.” He added that Saturday was “a very, 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) could have surgical procedure on his wrist and can miss the remainder of the season.
“Clearly, we’re coping with some difficult rotation adjustments,” Pope mentioned. “However that is the place our life is.”
Robinson was injured throughout apply Feb. 7. He performed by the issue the following day in a victory towards South Carolina, then missed the following 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 referred to as the absence of Robinson “a brilliant large loss for us as a workforce.”
However Pope mentioned the power of third-leading scorer Lamont Butler (12.4 ppg) to play by a shoulder damage “was most likely the very best factor for us” towards Auburn.
“He acquired two extra video games to actually get to the elite stage that he is performed at for a lot 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 cope with 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 ailing 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 have been much more dependent than typical on season scoring chief Cam Carter, who had 23 factors towards the Rebels, his second-highest whole 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 attempt 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 excellent begin on the offensive finish. I believed we acquired actually beauty 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.
“In all probability 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
