Kentucky has a Friday morning game in the Midwest Region of the NCAA Men’s Tournament, where the seventh-seeded Wildcats face off against 10th-seeded Santa Clara. But the news around two of Kentucky’s key players isn’t good.
If Wildcats fans were hoping to get Jayden Quaintance and Jaland Lowe back in time for Friday’s game, they’re going to be disappointed.
Kentucky Basketball Injury Updates: Jayden Quaintance and Jaland Lowe
Kentucky comes into the Midwest Region with a 21-13 overall record. Quaintance and Lowe were expected to play big roles in the Wildcats’ season. Now, though, both are dealing with injury issues.
Quaintance, a forward, returned to the lineup after being out due to an ACL injury. But he had to sit for a while after swelling around his knee forced him out of action. As for whether Quaintance might be able to play in the tournament itself, Kentucky head coach Mark Pope spoke on his radio show on Monday.
“JQ is making progress, but I don’t think he’s going to be able to cross the line before this weekend,” Pope said, according to a post on X from Wyatt Huff, University of Kentucky men’s basketball and football writer for Kentucky Wildcats on SI.
It should be noted that Pope has not totally ruled out a return for Quaintance in the tournament should Kentucky advance far beyond a first- or second-round game. Still, fans probably should not expect to see Quaintance anytime soon.
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It’s tough news for Quaintance, who is seen as an NBA draft lottery candidate, too. Quaintance, a sophomore out of Cleveland, is averaging 5.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game this season. He’s shooting 57.1% from the floor, too.
As for Lowe, well, Wildcats fans already knew he probably wouldn’t be available at all. Lowe went through season-ending shoulder surgery, so he’s not playing in the tournament one bit.
Lowe, a junior out of Missouri City, Texas, was averaging 8.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game this season. He was shooting 35.8% from the floor, too.
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Wildcats fans will be in attendance at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, where Midwest Region and West Region first- and second-round games will take place. But seeing two of the team’s top players not on the court might lead some to believe Kentucky isn’t going to go far in the NCAA Men’s Tournament this season.
Pope will have to come up with a plan without these two top players.
