Will Jaland Lowe or Denzel Aberdeen play in UK’s opener? Updates from Rupp Arena
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- UK basketball players Denzel Aberdeen and Jaland Lowe are dealing with injuries.
- Aberdeen and Lowe are both projected starters for the Wildcats.
- Kentucky begins its 2025-26 season Tuesday night against Nicholls at Rupp Arena.
As the 2025-26 college basketball season begins for Kentucky, there are plenty of injury questions lingering about these Wildcats.
We know that sophomore forward Jayden Quaintance — a top transfer addition from Arizona State — is still weeks away from his return from a torn ACL suffered earlier this year.
But with Mark Pope’s UK team just hours away from its regular-season opener Tuesday night against Nicholls at Rupp Arena, the injury spotlight is on a pair of backcourt starters.
Junior guard Jaland Lowe and senior guard Denzel Aberdeen entered this week as question marks to play for the Cats due to injuries.
Lowe — who previously played two seasons at Pittsburgh and is projected to be Kentucky’s starting point guard this season — injured his right (non-shooting) shoulder during Kentucky’s Blue-White Game on Oct. 17. Lowe didn’t play in either of UK’s home exhibition games, a win over preseason No. 1 Purdue on Oct. 24 and a loss to Georgetown University last Thursday night.
Lowe also won’t play for the Cats on Tuesday night. On pregame radio, Pope ruled Lowe out for UK’s season opener. Pope said Lowe needs “more of an on-ramp” before he makes his Kentucky debut.
In Lowe’s absence, Aberdeen — who transferred to UK after playing three seasons at Florida — started at point guard for UK against Purdue. But Aberdeen appeared to injure his leg during a Kentucky practice last week at Rupp Arena. That practice was open to media members.
Aberdeen, who won the national championship last season at Florida, also didn’t play in the exhibition loss to Georgetown.
Aberdeen played for Kentucky against Nicholls. While Pope said on pregame radio that Aberdeen was a game-time decision for the game, he checked into the contest with 13:58 to go in the first half.
UK sustained another injury during the first half of Tuesday’s game, with sophomore Trent Noah leaving the first half early after sustaining an apparent left ankle injury.
What has Mark Pope said about injuries to Jaland Lowe and Denzel Aberdeen?
Following the exhibition loss to Georgetown on Thursday, Pope was asked by the Herald-Leader about Kentucky’s injury situation.
With relation to Aberdeen, Pope said he was dealing with a “sore leg that he’s trying to get 100% healthy.”
“We’re taking precautions with him,” Pope added about Aberdeen.
Pope also said that he “didn’t know” where Lowe would be, health wise, for Tuesday’s opener against Nicholls.
“I’d like to have those guys back in action within the next week or two, I’m hoping,” Pope said of Aberdeen and Lowe on Thursday.
After Tuesday’s season opener, Kentucky has one more tune-up game against a mid-major opponent — Valparaiso comes to Rupp Arena on Friday night — before the Wildcats’ first marquee matchup of the season. Kentucky plays at Louisville next Tuesday night in an in-state rivalry matchup featuring two expected Final Four contenders.
What are Kentucky’s options without Denzel Aberdeen or Jaland Lowe?
Kentucky played without both Aberdeen and Lowe in Thursday’s exhibition loss to Georgetown. Pope elected to start sophomore returner Collin Chandler at point guard in that contest. Chandler produced a mixed bag of results. He led UK in minutes played with 28 and tied for the team lead in rebounds with seven, but he missed seven of his nine shots and also led the Cats in turnovers with five.
Aside from Chandler, Kentucky’s other potential starting point guard is freshman Jasper Johnson, a five-star recruit who is a former Kentucky high school star at Woodford County. Johnson led UK in scoring with 15 points in the exhibition win over Purdue, but Johnson struggled against Georgetown. He had only seven points on 3-for-10 shooting against the Hoyas.
“I like everything about being a point guard,” Johnson said Monday. “Being a leader on the court, getting my teammates involved and my teammates open. Just trying to be that coach on the court. So just navigating my players and trusting them and them trusting me, trying to build their confidence as we go. But I’m definitely still learning, for sure. But I’ve been working, so I’m getting better.”
Against Purdue, Pope went with a starting lineup of Aberdeen, preseason SEC Player of the Year and senior Otega Oweh, sophomore Trent Noah, junior Mouhamed Dioubate and Garrison. For the Georgetown game, UK’s starting five consisted of Chandler, Oweh, Noah, Dioubate and Garrison.
That Georgetown starting lineup is the same one UK is using against Nicholls.
“I feel like nothing felt off,” Garrison said about playing the Georgetown game without both Aberdeen and Lowe. “Wish we had them on the court. But I feel like the guys who stepped up, I feel like they did their job and tried to help us get that win. I feel like nothing was really just off (because) they were missing. But guys had to step up, and I feel like they did.”
Johnson said he’s been working on valuing offensive possessions more since arriving at UK. That process has been aided by the presence of Aberdeen and Lowe.
“They’re two veteran guys,” Johnson added. “Jaland Lowe and Denzel have both played at a high level in college for multiple years. They were definitely telling me some hints and stuff like that (during the Georgetown game), giving me tips on the sideline.”
This story was originally published November 4, 2025 at 5:45 PM.
