With 6:28 remaining on the clock, Otegah Oweh and Koby Brea knocked down back-to-back three-pointers, helping the Wildcats pull away from a tight 66-65 game to a 72-65 lead. The fact that Kentucky, ranked sixth in the SEC, was struggling to shake off the 13th-seeded Oklahoma Sooners was surprising enough — but what really caught everyone off guard was Mark Pope’s mid-game update on Lamont Butler. The Wildcats were fighting to survive in the SEC Tournament, but Pope’s unsettling comments about his starting point guard signaled that the challenge ahead might be even bigger than just Oklahoma.

Matt Jones, host of Kentucky Sports Radio and NFL Preview on ESPN Radio, didn’t sugarcoat the situation. “Mark Pope saying Lamont Butler is getting imaging during a game is not great news,” Jones posted on X — and he wasn’t wrong.

Kentucky’s starting point guard, Lamont Butler, left the SEC Tournament opener after he reinjured his left shoulder on a drive to the basket with 9:45 remaining in the first half. He checked out with 9:35 left and didn’t return for the rest of the half. After an extended talk with Kentucky senior athletic trainer Brandon Wells on the bench, Butler walked to the locker room for further evaluation — a sight no Wildcat fan wanted to see.

Butler’s injury history made the situation even more concerning. He originally hurt the same shoulder during Kentucky’s win over Texas A&M on January 14. After trying to play through it for two games, he sat out four straight contests before returning on February 8 against South Carolina. But just three days later, he aggravated the injury in a collision with Tennessee’s Chaz Lanier, causing him to miss two more games. Thursday’s SEC opener was Butler’s fifth game back — but his night was cut short once again.

Chandler Steps In as Butler Sidelined, Pope’s Bold SEC Strategy Put to the Test

With Butler sidelined, freshman Collin Chandler stepped up at point guard to start the second half. Butler returned to the bench with 13:11 remaining, but Kentucky confirmed he wouldn’t see the floor again. The Wildcats clung to a narrow 40-38 halftime lead and had to adjust their backcourt rotation on the fly without their senior floor general. Butler logged 2 points and 3 assists in limited minutes, but his health going forward could mean far more than his final stat line.

Pope had already hinted at the uncertainty surrounding Butler’s status during his Monday radio show in February of this year. “He (Butler) still hasn’t practiced with live play, but for him, it’s just a matter of how far along does he have to get where he could actually take a hit in the game. That’s the biggest question for him. That’s going to be a little bit of a guessing game. We’ll try and get him some live stuff in practice over the next week or so.” Well, it didn’t take that long for Butler’s durability to be tested — and Pope didn’t hesitate to pull him once the injury resurfaced.

However, Kentucky’s win-at-all-costs mentality was crystal clear from Pope’s remarks to the media the day before the game. “There is nothing in the world that my guys would like more than to gift BBN an incredible week here,” Pope said from a Nashville hotel lobby on Wednesday. “That (SEC Tournament) means a lot to us. We’re really devoted to doing everything we can humanly possible as a team to make that happen.”

But Pope’s squad nearly let that gift slip away. The Wildcats lost their lead and were trailing 84-83 after a fearless layup by Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears. Pope immediately called a timeout — and whatever he said worked. Koby Brea responded with a clutch layup to put Kentucky back on top 85-84, sealing a hard-fought victory.

With Butler’s status uncertain and Chandler now thrust into a high-stakes role, Pope’s squad faces an uphill battle. Kentucky’s tournament survival could hinge on whether they can keep grinding without their senior floor general on the court.