Kentucky point guard Jaland Lowe is set to undergo shoulder surgery, as announced by Coach Mark Pope on Monday. This marks yet another challenge for a team grappling with mounting injuries this season.

“We just finished a long meeting with Jaland Lowe, a really emotional meeting, actually,” Pope mentioned during The Mark Pope Show. “He’s dislocated his shoulder three times now. Each incident has occurred with less contact. We attempted every possible option for him to continue playing, but decided that surgery is the best course of action, requiring several months of rehabilitation, around six months total, before he can return.”

Lowe, who transferred from Pittsburgh, had anticipated a significant role in the Wildcats’ season, yet his shoulder troubles limited him to just nine appearances and two starts.

Despite showing promise in late December and early January with a scoring average of 15.7 points, he struggled in a matchup against Missouri and was only able to play three minutes in a recent victory against Mississippi State prior to the re-injury.

Overall, Kentucky is facing a tough season. Once ranked ninth in the preseason AP Poll, they now find themselves at 10-6 (1-2 SEC), with a record of 1-5 against ranked teams. Pope has been addressing various challenges, including inconsistent efforts, poor shooting, and injuries.

In Lowe’s absence, it’s critical for players like Jasper Johnson and top scorer Otega Oweh to step up.