No. 19 Kentucky Looks to Rebound Against LSU After ‘Terrible’ Loss

No. 19 Kentucky is looking for a bounce-back performance after a brutal 94-78 loss to No. 1 Auburn when it hosts LSU on Tuesday night in Lexington, Kentucky.

The Wildcats (19-10, 8-8 SEC) have lost three of their last five games, raising concerns about their postseason form heading into the SEC Tournament. First-year head coach Mark Pope admitted his team had been making progress before the Auburn loss, but called Saturday’s game “a really, really terrible day for us.”

Meanwhile, LSU (14-15, 3-13 SEC) is struggling as well, having lost four of its last five games. The Tigers will look to play spoiler while dealing with their own injury issues.

Kentucky Adjusting to Life Without Jaxson Robinson

As if Kentucky’s recent struggles weren’t enough, head coach Mark Pope announced that second-leading scorer Jaxson Robinson (13.0 PPG) will miss the rest of the season due to wrist surgery.

Robinson injured his wrist in practice on Feb. 7, played through the pain against South Carolina, then missed four straight games before briefly returning against Oklahoma last Wednesday. After aggravating the injury in that game, he opted for surgery, officially ending his season.

Senior Koby Brea acknowledged the impact of Robinson’s absence, calling it “a super big loss for us as a team.”

Pope, however, remains focused on adjusting his rotations, noting that third-leading scorer Lamont Butler (12.4 PPG) playing through his own shoulder injury was a positive takeaway from the Auburn game.

“He got two more games to really get to the elite level that he’s played at for most of the season,” Pope said.

Kentucky closes its regular season at Missouri on Saturday before heading to the SEC Tournament.

LSU Dealing With Injury Woes as Well

LSU has been shorthanded in recent games, which contributed to its 81-69 loss at then-No. 24 Mississippi State on Saturday.

• Corey Chest (6.6 RPG, leading rebounder) missed the game due to a foot injury.
• Vyctorius Miller (8.9 PPG) played only seven minutes before leaving with a leg injury.
• Derek Fountain returned from illness, scoring nine points while making all four of his field-goal attempts.

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Despite the injuries, LSU’s top scorer Cam Carter (14.8 PPG) stepped up, dropping 23 points while shooting 9 of 16 from the field and 5 of 10 from three-point range.

“In the first half, we really wanted to try and free him up off some screens,” head coach Matt McMahon said. “I thought he did a nice job in his movement without the ball.”

Carter scored 18 of his 23 points in the first half, helping LSU take a 37-35 halftime lead before the Tigers fell apart in the second half. The rest of LSU’s roster shot just 4 of 26 from three, a key reason for the loss.

Key Matchups to Watch

• Kentucky’s Adjusted Lineup vs. LSU’s Perimeter Defense – With Robinson out, Kentucky needs more scoring from other guards. Can LSU take advantage of Kentucky’s lack of depth?
• Cam Carter vs. Kentucky’s Perimeter Defense – Carter carried LSU against Mississippi State. If he gets hot again, LSU could stay in the game longer than expected.
• Lamont Butler vs. LSU’s Defense – Butler is playing through injury but remains one of Kentucky’s most reliable scorers. Will he step up with Robinson out?

Who Has the Edge?

Kentucky is desperate for a win, and playing at home gives them a clear advantage. However, adjusting to Robinson’s absence could lead to some offensive struggles, and LSU has the ability to hang around if Carter stays hot.

Will Kentucky shake off its recent struggles and end its home schedule on a high note, or will LSU take advantage of the Wildcats’ roster adjustments and steal a win? Tuesday night’s matchup will provide answers ahead of the SEC Tournament.