The big question for Kentucky basketball fans ahead of tonight’s game against Colgate is whether Lamont Butler will take the court. The answer? It will be a game-time decision, according to head coach Mark Pope.
Butler injured his ankle during the Clemson game. Although he finished the game after taping it up, he struggled with movement and explosiveness in the following days. As a result, Pope decided to hold him out of the Gonzaga game, as Butler wasn’t fully recovered.
Butler’s Progress
- December 9: Butler wasn’t practicing, but he did some light work and continued resting his ankle for recovery. Pope called his status “day-to-day.”
- “We’ll see how he responds tomorrow morning, but we’re feeling sooner rather than later. It’s a matter of days. I’d like those days to include Wednesday’s game, but we’ll see how it goes,” Pope said.
- December 10: There were no new updates, as Kentucky isn’t required to disclose further details due to it being a non-conference game.
- December 11 (Game Day): The plan is to test Butler’s ankle before the game and make a final decision.
The good news is that Colgate is considered a less challenging opponent, so there’s no urgency to rush Butler back if he’s not fully healthy. Pope is focused on having Butler available for the long term, especially when conference play heats up, which was his reasoning for sitting him out against Gonzaga. Expect a similar approach tonight against Colgate.
