Mark Pope’s Kentucky basketball team took the floor against St. John’s on Dec. 20 fully healthy for the first time. That includes star big man Jayden Quaintance, who made his debut that day for the Wildcats. Most importantly, the entire team was available, which means Jaland Lowe, Mo Dioubate, and Jayden Quaintance, who all three have missed time for Kentucky this season, were all finally on the court together.
As for Dioubate, he missed the least time out of three, with Lowe playing in a game for the first time since Nov. 11 against Gonzaga, although he was limited before then playing more minutes against Indiana, and Quaintance obviously making his debut in Atlanta against Rick Pitino’s squad. Kentucky fans have realized how valuable staying healthy is. In the second halves of the Indiana and St. John’s games, Lowe was the difference-maker once he returned from re-aggravating his shoulder, and Quaintance was an added major spark plug in Atlanta. Both of them, but Lowe especially, are keys to this Kentucky team’s success. Lowe is the engine, while Quaintance’s star potential raises their ceiling. It’s obvious at this point.
Teammate Mo Dioubate knows that, and he was asked on Tuesday about how he feels about the starting lineup with all of the pushback Mark Pope specifically has gotten about not starting Jaland Lowe and Mo Dioubate, but especially Lowe given that he has already knocked off the injury rust and hasn’t missed nine months like Quaintance has. Kentucky’s point guard hasn’t been in the starting lineup in any game he has played for the Wildcats. Dioubate wants his point guard to be on the floor with him more. Here was his thoughts on if he thinks the starting lineup really does matter:…