Andrew Carr (Vicky Graff Photo)
Kentucky’s injury situation has been an issue the last six weeks and the continued absence of guards Jaxson Robinson, the team’s best offensive player, and Lamont Butler, the team’s best defensive player and floor leader, definitely has impacted the team.
However, even though forward Andrew Carr is playing, it’s very obvious he is far from 100 percent and UK basically is down three starters and likely will be again on Wednesday night when it hosts Vanderbilt.
Even though coach Mark Pope downplays Carr’s back injury and does not use that as an excuse when UK loses, the numbers tell the story.
In Kentucky’s first 18 games, Carr started every game and averaged 10.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Nine times he had three or more assists and helped key the offense blowing.
In the last six games he has played, he has averaged five points and 2.3 rebounds per game and has not started a single game. He’s reached three assists only once in more limited playing time.
In the 82-78 loss at Texas on Saturday, he played only 16 minutes, 20 seconds. He was 2-for-5 from the field with only one rebound and no assists. He did make one steal but also had two turnovers.
However, once again Pope would not use Butler and Robinson missing the game and Carr being less than 100 percent as an excuse.
“We’re not leaving any space for that,” he said after the loss. “I have a good team. The guys on the court are good players, and we’re good enough to win, and these guys have proven that
“This group is good enough to win, and we’ll figure that part out. We’re going to get there. We’re at that point in the season where these late-game situations, they’re going to become increasingly heated. We have incredibly painful moments from this game where we weren’t present — and we will learn from that. We’re going to continue to get better.”
Pope doesn’t question his team’s commitment to winning.
“These guys are so emotionally invested. They’re putting in so much energy. They’re so committed to each other that they’ll figure this out,” the Kentucky coach said. “We have the guys to do this.”
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Another way to look at it is the competition has changed. Even before SEC play started (and presumably before his injury) he was 13-31 shooting against power 5 teams. That includes a very good game against Duke. I’m not including Gonzaga in that because although they’re good they’re just not as physical as Clemson, Louisville Ohio St and the SEC.
But I don’t put this on him. There’s a bigger question as to the conditioning of this team. A couple weeks ago when Alan Cutler asked him about his odd substitution patterns, Pope seemed to take that as an implication that he should sub earlier since his team was getting tired. Fatigue late in games, most recently the last 3 minutes at Texas, and the mounting injuries, beg the question of why this team isn’t healthy.
The Apostle Paul writes that “our God calls things not being as being” -what a marvelous God we have. He just speaks and there is light!!
Some UK BB players have displayed “not being” – not being present mentally, and it costs OR’s and ultimately costs games.
There are only 30 to 40 games a season when players need to be focused a maximum of 40 minutes per game. It’s seems to be a matter of really having priorities straight – then FOCUS is possible,
If UK BB is secondary or even lower to anything else when a player is in the game, then UK is instantly down to 4 players on the court. When 2 players don’t have their mind on the games, then UK is at a big disadvantage with only 3 players “present” going against 5 players & oft times a ref or 2 (or 3).
It only takes any few trips down the floor when UK is outnumbered for the ultimate result to be a loss.
Coach Pope & his staff molded a FF contender (when the team ANE soared in several early season games, but some players have been mentally absent at times leading to losses.
Winning AT Tennessee proves UK can win with regular starters (even Butler!) unavailable.
I agree Carr is NOT 100% or even close, I’d sure like to send him to a state of the art chiropractor whose adjustment rapidly out a person into position to overcome the issues and perform up to standard again, Carr & Butlet have bern the 2 most consistent players game after game and both are TEAM 1st players EVERY POSSESSION!
I sincerely believe Perry and Noah can and will lead UK to some big wins down the stretch, now that they have recently gotten more significant game experience.
The S-16 has a slot waiting for UK and the FF will then be in view – and anything can happen!
I am hoping that Perry and Riley will be self motivated to improve and will get better with experience. Garrison seems to be getting less scrutiny for his ability and should be capable of minimun 10 pts a game. There has been a lack of focus by many players as season has progressed and Brea culpable too many times. Hoping that Carr isn’t being pampered too much by medical staff. Apparently still not 100% but capable of bigger contribution.
Carr and Brea have been disappointing the past two games, but the entire team has been that way…have a couple of fantastic games then disappear. The injuries only magnify this. Perry and Noah are getting more PT and so should Chandler. We are not going to be in any position to win any hardware this season, so the more PT the likely returnees get, the better we will be next year.