In back-to-back years, Kentucky has ended up the No. 3 seed, and this season, they’ll be looking to avoid a first-weekend exit that’s haunted them.
On Friday, Mark Pope made some comments that gave Kentucky fans some hope that Lamont Butler would return to the NCAA tournament; it’s now official, as Jon Rothstein a CBS college basketball analyst posted on his social media that Butler would be available for the tournament this week.
Good news for the Cats: they need their star guard down the stretch to make a run in Milwaukee and beyond. Without him, they are not as good as they would be without him.
Butler has been off and on injured all season long; it’s been a tough season for Injuries, as the Cats have lost Jaxson Robinson for the season, Andrew Carr has missed games, and Kerr Kriisa has been out since early December with a foot injury.
Scott Cross leads the Troy Trojans as coach and is in his sixth season. Troy is 23-10 overall and finished 13-5 in the Sun Belt Conference. Led by Tayton Conerway, the Sun Belt Player of the Year, he averages 14.5 points per game and 4.8 assists per game. Having Lamont Butler back against their top guard will be crucial for Kentucky’s chances at winning and moving forward.
This will be Troy’s only third NCAA appearance as a program.
The biggest question coming into this tournament and Friday evening is whether the Cats can finally get out of the first weekend. Kentucky hasn’t gotten past the first weekend since 2019, which is quite a while for a program that has been one of the most consistent teams in the NCAA tournament.
In 2022, Kentucky, a No. 2 seed, suffered a shocking loss to the No. 15 seeded Saint Peter’s in the first round. The following year, they won the first game but were defeated by the No. 3 seed Kansas St in the second round. And last year, they suffered another upset, losing to the No. 14 seed Oakland in the first round.
These unexpected losses have undoubtedly left a mark on Kentucky’s reputation in the March Madness tournament.
With Mark Pope in charge and a new team, let’s hope Kentucky figures out the problems and get this program back to its first sweet 16 in six years.
As Kentucky prepares to head to Milwaukee this week, the answer should be simple: this is a business trip. The last three NCAA tournament games, not counting the COVID season, when they missed the tournament completely, have been as disappointing as possible for a program like Kentucky.
It’s time to roll up the sleeves, get to work, and regain that momentum.
This week is one of the most exciting times in the college basketball season, full of madness and opportunity. It’s a chance to travel, connect with media and fans, and truly enjoy the atmosphere. Soon, the players step onto that court; it becomes all business.
Kentucky needs to play with that mindset and demonstrate what they’re truly capable of. A lingering question is how Mark Pope will be perceived if they lose in the first game. While it wouldn’t define the season as a failure, seeing all the hard work vanish after a first-round loss would be disappointing.
Kentucky has faced numerous injuries this season, which makes Pope’s accomplishments with such a depleted roster even more commendable. Still, the prospect of this season ending next weekend would be incredibly disheartening. It’s time to lock in!
For more Kentucky basketball coverage, Click here. Kentucky’s Dominance Dashes Missouri’s Senior Day – Stadium Rant
Subscribe to College SportsCast for fun, original college sports shows. Do not miss our weekly Big Blue HoopsCast Show for more Kentucky basketball recaps, previews, and analysis.
If you love sports, download Stadium Rant from the Apple App Store and join one of the fastest-growing social sports communities. Be sure to follow us on socials too — you can find all our profiles on our Linktree.
