Kentucky, which once marched confidently into a new era under Mark Pope, now finds itself at a dead end. Despite reports of a motivated locker room and a committed squad, the on-court struggles tell a different story. The Wildcats are slipping, and with each defeat, the pressure on Pope intensifies.

The Wildcats have hit a rough patch, dropping four of their last five games and slipping to No. 10 in the SEC standings. With an overall record of 15-7 and a shaky 4-5 mark in conference play, Kentucky’s struggles are becoming harder to ignore. Their latest upset against Ole Miss (84-98) only deepens concerns.

On a recent episode of The Field of 68: After Dark, Rob Dauster touched on Kentucky’s situation, saying, “I think Lamont is gonna come back. I don’t know, I’m a little more worried about the Kerr Kriisa situation and how that’s kind of playing out.”

The Wildcats have been without one of their key backcourt contributors for the past three games, with senior guard Lamont Butler sidelined due to injury. His absence has left a noticeable gap in the lineup, and the team has certainly felt the impact, especially on both ends of the floor.

However, in a more optimistic turn, Mark Pope shared some encouraging updates during Wednesday’s radio show, hinting at a potential comeback. “Lamont is making progress… It’s a complicated situation, and so it’s gonna continue,” Pope said. “We’re just gonna continue to kind of hope for the best.”

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Estonian point guard Kerr Kriisa. He suffered a fractured foot during Kentucky’s win over Gonzaga on December 7 in Seattle. Now, eight weeks removed from surgery, there’s still no official timeline for his return. Before the injury, Kriisa was contributing 3.8 assists in just 17.3 minutes per game, playing a crucial role in the Wildcats’ backcourt. His absence has left a noticeable void.

Kentucky faces tough test against the Gamecocks

This hasn’t been the season South Carolina was hoping for as they prepare to face Kentucky next. Just one year removed from being picked to finish last in the SEC, the Gamecocks defied expectations by coming within one victory of the regular-season championship. But this time, things have taken a turn.

They’re now 0-9 in conference play, sitting at the bottom of the 16-team standings. It’s been a tough stretch for the Gamecocks, and they’ll be looking for a turnaround as they face Kentucky.

Collin Murray-Boyles has been the key player for the Gamecocks, and he’ll be a big factor heading into Saturday’s game at Rupp Arena. He’s been putting up impressive numbers, averaging 15.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 1.6 steals per game. His all-around game has been a bright spot for South Carolina, and Kentucky will need to keep a close eye on him.

That’s not the best news for Kentucky, especially after they allowed Ole Miss to dish out 24 assists and forced just one turnover in a tough loss on Tuesday night. And while South Carolina may be sitting at 0-9 in the SEC, don’t let that fool you—the Gamecocks have proven they can compete with anyone in the conference. They’ll be hungry for a win, and Kentucky will need to be ready.

UK coach Mark Pope is no stranger to Murray-Boyles’ game. Though the young star is from Columbia, he spent his senior year of high school at Wasatch Academy, a prestigious prep school in Utah that Pope frequently recruited from during his time as head coach at BYU. Pope has seen firsthand what Murray-Boyles can do, which will make for an interesting matchup when the two teams meet.

Kentucky’s ongoing struggles, compounded by key injuries, are putting increasing pressure on Mark Pope. With losses piling up, the Wildcats will need to quickly find a way to turn things around, starting with their upcoming game against South Carolina.