As Kentucky prepares to face Ole Miss on Tuesday, the Wildcats will be without key contributor Lamont Butler, who continues to recover from a left shoulder injury. Butler, a fifth-year guard and former San Diego State standout, has been officially ruled out for the matchup, marking his fifth missed game of the season. Meanwhile, fellow veteran Andrew Carr has been removed from the injury report and is set to return after battling back issues in recent weeks.

The loss of Butler is a significant concern for head coach Mark Pope and Kentucky fans alike. After transferring from San Diego State, Butler was expected to be a pivotal piece in Kentucky’s backcourt. Unfortunately, injuries have hampered his ability to contribute consistently.

Butler initially missed time in December due to an ankle injury suffered in Kentucky’s loss to Clemson. Though he returned to action, he sustained a left shoulder injury during the Wildcats’ home victory against Texas A&M on Jan. 14. While he attempted to play through the pain, his performance has suffered, including a career-high six-turnover game in a road loss at Vanderbilt on Jan. 25.

Since then, Butler has been sidelined, missing Kentucky’s crucial road win against top-10 Tennessee and the recent home loss to Arkansas. Coach Pope has been non-committal regarding a timetable for Butler’s return, leaving uncertainty about when the veteran guard will be available to help the Wildcats make a late-season push.

On a more positive note for Kentucky, Andrew Carr has officially been removed from the injury report and will be available against Ole Miss. The fifth-year forward, who spent time at Delaware and Wake Forest before joining the Wildcats, has been managing a persistent back issue that previously kept him out of Kentucky’s loss at Vanderbilt on Jan. 25.

Carr’s injury concerns appear to be behind him, as he saw limited action in Kentucky’s last two games. He played just 89 seconds in the road win against Tennessee but was able to log 15 minutes against Arkansas, contributing three points and four rebounds.

Speaking to the media, Carr revealed that he has been dealing with recurring back spasms but expressed optimism about his recovery. He noted that he has finally been able to practice with the team again, a promising sign for his return to full strength.

With Butler out indefinitely and Carr back in the mix, Kentucky will need to adjust its rotation heading into a tough stretch of SEC play. The Wildcats will look to capitalize on Carr’s return while hoping for positive news on Butler’s status in the coming weeks. Tuesday’s game against Ole Miss will be a crucial test as Kentucky aims to stay competitive in conference play despite ongoing injury concerns.