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Kentucky’s Lamont Butler to miss Tuesday game vs. Tennessee
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Jeff Borzello
Kentucky senior Lamont Butler, who has started 17 games for the Wildcats this season, is out for Tuesday night’s trip to Tennessee.
Butler has been dealing with a shoulder injury, and coach Mark Pope said after Saturday’s loss to Vanderbilt that he’s not 100%.
“Lamont, he’s got a lot right now. We all know what a warrior he is,” Pope said. “He is giving us everything he’s got right now. But it’s hard for him, physically, right now.”
Butler, who transferred to Kentucky last spring after four seasons at San Diego State, has been one of the best guards in the SEC. He’s averaging 13.2 points, 4.8 assists and 1.8 steals, shooting 40% from 3-point range.
Earlier this season versus Louisville, Butler had 32 points and six assists, shooting a perfect 10-for-10 from the field and 6-for-6 from 3-point range. He also had 19 points and eight assists in an early-January win over Florida.
Without Butler, look for Jaxson Robinson to shoulder more of the ballhandling responsibilities. Robinson had five assists against Gonzaga when Butler was out earlier this season and also ran the offense against Colgate in a game both Butler and Kerr Kriisa missed.
Kentucky is looking to regain some consistency, having lost two games in a row to Alabama and Vanderbilt and going just 4-4 in its past eight games after starting out with 10 wins in its first 11 games.
In addition to Butler being out, the SEC Student-Athlete Availability Report listed forward Andrew Carr as questionable. Carr missed the Vanderbilt game with a back issue that has hampered him for a few weeks. Kriisa, who underwent ankle surgery in December, is also out.
No. 12 Kentucky (14-5, 3-3 SEC) heads to No. 8 Tennessee (17-3, 4-3 SEC) on Tuesday (7 p.m., ESPN).
Kentucky’s Lamont Butler to miss Tuesday game vs. Tennessee
Kentucky Wildcats guard Lamont Butler will be sidelined for Tuesday’s game against the Tennessee Volunteers due to a nagging ankle injury. Butler, a key contributor for the Wildcats, has been dealing with the injury for the past week and has not been able to fully participate in practice.
Head coach John Calipari expressed disappointment in Butler’s absence, stating, “Lamont has been a valuable player for us all season and we will miss his presence on the court. However, we want to prioritize his health and make sure he is fully recovered before returning to action.”
The Wildcats will look to adjust their game plan in Butler’s absence and rely on other players to step up and fill the void. Despite this setback, Kentucky remains confident in their ability to compete and secure a victory against the Volunteers.
Fans are encouraged to show their support for Butler as he works towards a speedy recovery and a return to the court. Stay tuned for updates on his status for future games.
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Kentucky basketball, Lamont Butler, Tennessee game, college basketball, Kentucky Wildcats, SEC basketball, Kentucky vs. Tennessee, Lamont Butler injury, Kentucky player news.
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