Kentucky coach Mark Pope isn’t sure when starters Lamont Butler and Jaxson Robinson will return to the lineup but is optimistic both players will return sooner rather than later.
Butler has been nursing a shoulder injury, re-aggravated it in last Tuesday’s win over Tennessee and missed Saturday’s 82-78 loss at Texas. Pope said Butler is “moving pretty well” and his return will depend on his tolerance to pain.
“He still hasn’t practiced with live play, but for him, it’s just a matter of how far along does he have to get where he could actually take a hit in the game? That’s the biggest question for him,” he said. “That’s going to be a little bit of a guessing game. We’ll try and get him some live stuff in practice over the next week or so.”
Robinson, who suffered a wrist injury to his shooting hand, hasn’t played since Kentucky’s 80-57 win over South Carolina on Feb. 2. Pope said Robinson has been trying out his left hand in practice.
“He’s done a ton of left-handed shooting and probably, unsurprisingly, he’s making a lot of shots left-handed,” Pope said. “So I am actually pushing him to just tie up the right wrist, just get that thing safe in a big cast, and let’s go just play lefty on Wednesday. I’m not sure he’s prepared to do that.”
Kerr Kriisa’s return to the court has been “a bit slower” than both the coach and player anticipated and Pope said a redshirt is possible if the veteran guard opts to return next season instead of rushing to the court during the next three weeks of the regular season or into the postseason.
“Kerr could get a medical redshirt because he meets qualifications,” he said. “The two qualifications are less than 30 percent of the games played — he’s barely under 30 percent — and not played past the mid-point. So that is a possibility.”
Pope added that Kerr’s return has been an “ongoing process.”
FLOOD RELIEF
Kentucky will be collecting donations for flood relief and donations will be collected on the High Street side of Rupp Arena prior to the Wildcats’ game against Vanderbilt from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Rupp Arena.
Items collected will include non-perishable foods, cleaning supplies, bottled water, and paper supplies, such as toilet paper and paper towels. Avoid clothing and household items.
"Our hearts are with all our fellow Kentuckians facing devastating flooding due to these storms," Pope said in a social media post. "Please take precautions to stay safe. We continue to pray for the safety and well-being of everyone affected."
GAMETRACKER: Vanderbilt at Kentucky, 6 p.m., Wednesday. TV/Radio: 7 p.m., SEC Network, UK Radio Network SuperTalk 94.3 WKYX, WiLLiE 102.
Jaxson Robinson could wear a cast on his wrist and shoot left-handed as soon as Wednesday night, said coach Mark Pope. (Photo by Les Nicholson)
