Major injury update ahead of Kentucky vs. North Carolina

The Kentucky Wildcats will hit the court Tuesday night as they welcome the North Carolina Tar Heels to Rupp Arena.

After flopping in their first two major non-conference games, the Cats get the chance to knock off a top-25 team at home. However, they will apparently be doing so without two of their starters.

According to Mark Pope during his Monday call-in radio show, Jaland Lowe and Mo Dioubate are both not expected to play Tuesday night against the Tar Heels.

“Those guys are coming along. They’re doing the best they can. I’m not sure that they’re going to be available tomorrow, but they’re making progress. We can’t wait till they get back,” said Pope.

Dioubate is recovering from an ankle injury, while Lowe is still working his way back from the latest shoulder injury he suffered in a recent practice, ironically while trying to box out Dioubate.

We should note that North Carolina is also dealing with the injury bug. Starting point guard Seth Trimble is currently sidelined due to a hand fracture. On Monday, head coach Hubert Davis said Trimble is “progressing fast.” However, the senior is not expected to return until later in December, so he’s out Tuesday night.

The Cats will have to look to knock off the Heels in a major top-25 showdown. Let’s hope they can get the job done.