Jaland Lowe, Mo Dioubate injury updates: Latest status of Kentucky stars revealed ahead of Gonzaga game

Kentucky has been down two projected starters for three games now, and have been without one of them for all but two games this season. That’s, right now, trending to be the case again for Jaland Lowe and Mouhamed Dioubate in the Wildcats’ next matchup tomorrow night against Gonzaga in Nashville.

Mark Pope provided updates on both Lowe and Dioubate during his press conference on Thursday ahead of tomorrow night’s neutral-site matchup against the Bulldogs. He began with Dioubate, who has missed the last three games with an ankle sprain, which was noted additionally today as a form of ligament tear, and who will now miss another against the ‘Zags.

“He’s got a high ankle sprain. He’s doing good. He won’t be available tomorrow,” said Pope. “You know, there’s a chance maybe next week. We’ll see. These things, you know, sometimes can be weeks and weeks and weeks. So, he’s doing everything he can to get back. It’s just, you know, these high ankle sprains are super painful. And it’s – you know, without getting too specific, it’s a torn ligament between his tibia and fibia, and just, whatever, you know.”

Dioubate, the transfer this offseason from Alabama, played in the first five games this season, and averaged some career-bests of 11.6 points (62.2% FG), 5.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.0 steals per game for UK. However, he, after exiting with that sprained ankle late in their loss to Michigan State in the Champions Classic, has missed the last three, with it currently being a two-week absence, which will now extend into three weeks, for Dioubate.

Then, Pope revealed that Lowe, who has missed all but two appearances this season due to a shoulder he has now dislocated twice, has not yet been officially ruled out for Friday. That’s as he has recently returned to practice, with him set to have practiced again today on Thursday.

“He’s been a little bit on the practice floor. He’s going to try to practice a little bit today. He was, he did some live stuff yesterday, and so he’s kind of working his way back into it and we’ll see how that goes,” said Pope. “Today, we’re going to let him, like, kind of – you know, you guys can all come take a shot at him if you want to. Just rolling, and so we’re going to see what happens

“I don’t know. We’ll see,” Pope said, though, of Lowe’s status for tomorrow. “I don’t know. I’m not sure.”

Lowe, the transfer from Pittsburgh, has averaged 7.5 points, 5.0 assists, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.0 steals in his two appearances off the bench for Kentucky in the second and third games of the season against Valparaiso and Louisville. But, having dislocated that shoulder twice now, both having been in non-game action, it’s been a wonder when, or even if, he would return this season for the Wildcats.

As part of their early-season struggles, Kentucky has been limited due to injuries through the first month. That looks as though it’ll be the case for them tomorrow night in Music City when they play Gonzaga at Bridgestone Arena.