Mark Pope and the No. 12 Kentucky Wildcats were without Lamont Butler in Tuesday’s game against No. 8 Tennessee. Due to shoulder concerns, the fifth-year senior was listed out of the rotation hours before tip-off. Pope had indicated Butler’s struggles before the Jan. 17 game against Alabama and pressed on the issue after the UK lost to Vanderbilt on Saturday.

While the coach didn’t share details about Butler’s injury, he said that multiple aspects are holding the senior from returning to the court. Pope also indicated the possibility of losing the starter for the season.

“There’s multiple factors, some’s going to you get better and the other we’ll see,” Pope said (8:54). “I’m an eternal optimist so every media timeout I was checking with Brandon Wells (senior athletic trainer) to see if he was ready to go yet, he never gave me the thumbs up.

“Lamont is the heart and soul of this team. If and when we get him back we’re going to be elated. We certainly need him, and, in the meantime, guys are going to step up and compete and fight.”

Lamont Butler came to Kentucky after playing four years for San Diego State. He has been the glue for Mark Pope’s first UK roster, as he leads the team in assists (4.8) and steals (1.8) and is the second-highest scorer (13.2).

Mark Pope’s team held Tennessee off without Lamont Butler

Kentucky Wildcats beat Tennessee 78-73 on the road, ending a two-game losing streak. All starters scored in double digits, with Koby Brea leading with 18 points on 100% shooting (5 of 5), while Amari Williams recording his fifth double-double of the season, with 10 points and 15 rebounds.

UK committed eight more turnovers and gave up 18 offensive rebounds to Tennessee. However, Volunteers relied heavily on the 3-point line, making just 11 of 45 from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, the visitors had a balanced offense, making 12 of 24 treys.

While Kentucky has won all three games without Lamont Butler, forward Andrew Carr and guard Kerr Kriisa are also battling with injuries. While Carr returned to the lineup against Tennessee, he only played one minute. Kriisa, meanwhile, is recovering from foot surgery and is nearing a solid return timeline.