Staying healthy will be Kentucky's biggest priority moving forward

Kentucky had plenty of major struggles to start the season, including losing their first four games against quality opponents. But, they've picked up back-to-back wins against quad 1 teams since then, and are coming off a win over Bellarmine on Tuesday. A big part of that? Kentucky has gotten their point guard back, and now two big men that really set the tone down low.

Kentucky's losses to start the season weren't just normal losses, they were embarrassing. The Wildcats absolutely showed no fight or effort when they got punched in the mouth. Look at the Gonzaga loss for example. Kentucky started that game falling behind quickly and could never respond. Jaland Lowe played, but he was super limited, playing minutes here and there fresh off of coming back from his shoulder injury. He was never able to help get flow in that game, where it was much needed. Without Lowe, it's clear that Kentucky's effort has been questionable, but it really affects the offense, too. Kentucky just has no flow without Lowe on the floor. Each person on the floor is looking for someone else to create, and their is no real identity.

To their credit, though, the team did put up 99 points on Tuesday, but they faced a zone that essentially dared them to shoot, and they were able to finally score from outside, thanks to Kam Williams' eight threes. Their defensive effort was what was really questionable, and Lowe helps with that. His energy on the floor is infectious. As his teammates continue seeing him dive on the floor and stay physical even with his shoulder injury, that provides inspiration. That was missed, too, on Tuesday, and luckily, Lowe won't be held out of a game as a precaution anymore. But moving forward, keeping him healthy is the biggest of the health worries. At any given time, that shoulder can keep him out, but his mindset since returning says it will take a lot of pain to keep him out. He knows how much he means to this team. This break Kentucky is on in-between games is important to continue not only getting Lowe 100 percent, giving that shoulder some rest, but also ramping up Jayden Quaintance back from his ACL injury, who made his debut last Saturday against St. John's, and was a real difference-maker. He is seen as the icing on the cake after Kentucky worked to get Lowe and Dioubate back on the court.

Speaking of Quaintance, the big men have been huge in their return in changing this team's identity. Their work on the glass is also infectious, and the fellow bigs have felt how hard the two work down low, especially defensively, being very physical. We talked about the Gonzaga loss earlier. That's the perfect example of a team missing guys like Mo Dioubate and Jayden Quaintance. Kentucky had no answer for their bigs. Kentucky missed that and the creativity and energy from Lowe, but since that game, Kentucky has looked completely different, and getting them on the court is a big reason why. Their energy is so infectious.

Now, Kentucky is fully healthy for the first time all season, and it's clear just how much the three Wildcats change things when they're all on the floor, but especially Jaland Lowe. Kentucky can't afford to lose their top big men, but they definitely can't live without Lowe. He is the engine of this team, one that will go as for as he, and his bum shoulder, are able to take them. Health is the number one priority for Kentucky now that they see what the full product looks like.