Status of Jaland Lowe, Denzel Aberdeen uncertain for season-opener, per report

Denzel Aberdeen (left) and Jaland Lowe - Caleb Bowlin, UK Athletics

Will Jaland Lowe and Denzel Aberdeen play in Kentucky’s season-opener on Tuesday night? As of Monday morning, their status remains uncertain.

According to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, head coach Mark Pope told Rothstein that he’s “still unsure” if Lowe and Aberdeen will suit up against Nicholls. Lowe is dealing with a shoulder injury that he suffered during the Blue-White Game on Oct. 17, while Aberdeen was a surprise scratch from the second exhibition last Thursday against Georgetown due to what is being listed as a leg injury. Lowe did not play in either exhibition.

Kentucky will host Nicholls on Tuesday, November 4, inside Rupp Arena at 7:00 p.m. ET on the SEC Network+.

Mark Pope tells me that he’s still unsure if Kentucky’s Jaland Lowe (shoulder) and Denzel Aberdeen (leg) will be available for Tuesday’s opener against Nicholls.

Both players — as well as Jayden Quaintance (knee) — DNP in last week’s exhibition game against Georgetown.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) November 3, 2025

It certainly wouldn’t be ideal if Lowe and Aberdeen aren’t ready to go for the season opener. Those two expect to slide in next to Otega Oweh, the Preseason SEC Player of the Year, as Kentucky’s starting backcourt trio. Lowe, who was named a Preseason All-SEC Third Team member, averaged 16.8 points and 5.5 assists last season at Pitt. Aberdeen averaged 7.7 points per outing last season as one of the first players off the bench for a championship-winning Florida squad.

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All that being said, Kentucky opens the season against Nicholls and Valparaiso this week before heading to Louisville next Tuesday for a rivalry showdown with the No. 11 Cardinals. Pope would obviously prefer to have Lowe (who was a non-contact participant in practice last week) and Aberdeen play this week to get their feet back under them, but keeping them sidelined to be healthy for the Louisville game isn’t going to be the end of the world.

But after last season’s injury-plagued run, it sure would be nice to see Lowe and Aberdeen take the floor in at least one of the two (or both!) games this week. We’ll know for sure by Tuesday night.

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