Ad Disclosure
Lamont Butler, Jaxson Robinson game-time decisions for Kentucky vs. South Carolina
Published:
Lamont Butler is a “genuine” game-time decision for Saturday’s home contest against South Carolina, according to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
But Butler isn’t the only Kentucky man the Wildcats are holding out on. According to Thamel, Jaxson Robinson is also a game-time decision after a “brutal collision” in practice on Friday left Robinson with a wrist injury. Thamel reported Saturday morning that Robinson did not fracture anything, but his mobility is limited. Both he and Butler were listed as questionable on the availability report published Friday night by the SEC.
Should the Wildcats be without both, they’d be looking to snap a 2-game losing skid without the help of their No. 2 and No. 3 scorers. Kentucky (15-7, 4-5 SEC) has lost 4 of its last 5 and is hopeful to get on track against a South Carolina team that has opened league play winless in its first 9 games.
Tip-off is set for noon ET on ESPN 2 on Saturday. Kentucky is an 11-point favorite (via bet365) over the Gamecocks. Residents in the Bluegrass State can use this bet365 Kentucky bonus code to get a first-bet safety net.
Otega Oweh has filled in at the point in Butler’s absence, with Robinson sliding to the 2. The 6-foot-2 senior has not played since Jan. 25 against Vanderbilt, when he scored 6 points. He’s averaging 13.2 on the season to go with a team-best 4.8 assists.
Robinson averages 13.6 points per game. With 7 attempts per game, the 6-foot-6 wing is Kentucky’s leading shot-taker from 3-point range on the season. And he is making them at a 38% clip.
Oweh has scored at least 21 points in 3 of his last 5 games. He’s coming off a 24-point performance against Ole Miss on Feb. 4, but Kentucky lost that game by 14. Oweh’s 17 shot attempts in the game marked the first time all season he has taken more than 14 in a game.
Robinson scored 18 that day. Kentucky got a triple-double from Amari Williams, but not much else from anyone else.
If Butler and Robinson are both out, all the defensive attention will be on Oweh. Per KenPom, South Carolina has had the 12th-ranked defensive rating among SEC teams since conference play opened.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
