Lamont Butler Was Even Better Than Mark Pope Predicted

Lamont Butler, second from left, said UK has a team of underdogs who want to prove critics wrong. (Vicky Graff Photo)

As soon as Kentucky coach Mark Pope predicted that Lamont Butler was going to have a special game against Illinois, the doubters came out.

Butler did not score in UK’s NCAA Tournament first-round win over Liberty. He was 0-for-5 from the field. Butler was still bothered by a left shoulder injury and skeptics pointed out some ball handling miscues along with his missed shots at the basket.

However, Pope’s instincts were right because Butler was BRILLIANT in Sunday’s 84-75 win over Illinois that sends UK to the Sweet Sixteen for a third battle with Tennessee — UK won the first two.

Butler played 33 minutes and went 4-for-5 from the field, including 2-for-3 from 3, and 4-for-5 at the foul line to score 14 points. He also had five assists, three steals (including one to start the game) and drew seven fouls.

“I also feel like we got a lot of underdogs on this team. People who have been doubted throughout our life. Growing up in basketball, not a lot of us were highly recruited and nothing like that. For us to be on this stage, we wanted to seize the opportunity and just be great out there,” said Butler after the game.

Kentucky was the higher seed than Illinois but was an underdog, something that helped motivate the Cats.

“Experience is big, but in a tournament like this, it doesn’t matter. You’ve got to go out there and play your hardest, play your best, listen to the scout, execute the scout and do the things we have been doing all year long to win games,” Butler, who played in theFinal Four for San Diego State, said. “Regardless of experience or not, we went out there and just played hard.”

Pope said his pregame confidence in Butler stemmed partially because Butler had not had a “single live rep since three games ago” when he played against Liberty.

“So going into the game two days ago, it was a miracle that he was able to function the way he is because you lose timing and rhythm and feel. You just do. That’s why you practice,” the Kentucky coach said.

“He’s such a quick study and a big-moment guy. I felt confident he was going to be special. It doesn’t always happen that way, but he was really special tonight. My goodness, he was really special for us and important.”

Pope also knew there was one other thing about Butler — he’s a winner — that could project to a big game.

“We were really blessed to have a winner walk through our doors at the University of Kentucky that cares about winning,”  Pope said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever coached a player that is more desperate to — I don’t want to say the negative, but I don’t know how — to not let down his team.

“It is in his soul from a deep, deep place about like I am going to rise up to the occasion for my team. I can’t remember if it was Amari (Williams) or him that said it was love that kinda helped these guys, it’s helped them manage all the chaos they’ve been through. But that’s a real thing. He loves his guys, and he wants to perform for his guys. It’s pretty fun. It’s great.”

The point guard said he was just “playing my game” but he also had a new shoulder brace that was less restrictive.

“I was able to be more free today. I was just out there playing my game, trying to be aggressive. I got some open looks that I took, and that’s what went into it,” he said.

Pope joked that Butler tweaked his ankle in the first half against Illinois and that balanced him physically.

“He’s got no shoulder and no ankle, and I think it just works out,” Pope laughed and said.  “Courage is real, but I keep coming back to love, man. He loves his guys, and the guys love him. Who knows where we’re going to go from here. But this group, what a blessing to be around this group.”

Pope hopes Big Blue Nation sees the love the players have for each other and calls Butler the “ring leader” of those feelings.

“It was about two weeks into the summer, and I know I haven’t given specific details on this, but I was on the road recruiting. One of our guys was going through something really terrible, a terrible family situation. And we had set up something for that player to do,” Pope said. “I called in to check with that player and see how the day went, and he had scrapped all the plans because Lamont scooped him up and they spent the day together.

“Lamont did that because that’s who he is. He cares. His courage comes from a ton of skill and a ton of work and a ton of love.”

It also comes from that focus on winning and since his arrival he has been focused on winning a national title no matter how many injuries UK players suffered.

“The expectation here at Kentucky is to win. We got a bunch of winners here, and we want to continue that tradition,” Butler said.

He said Kentucky was “battle tested” because of SEC play.

“We had a lot of good teams that we played, but we stayed resilient, stayed together. And it showed today. Everybody was playing with love and passion for one another, and we can’t focus about anything but the next game,” Butler said.