Kentucky fans have always taken pride in their homegrown talent. From Richie Farmer to Reed Sheppard, big blue nation loves cheering on one of their own. Now with Jaxson Robinson out tonight against Tennessee, the spotlight may be ready to find Trent Noah. In his recent appearance against South Carolina, Noah delivered an impressive 5 points and 5 rebounds in just 13 minutes, proving he’s ready to step up when it matters most in SEC play.
Head coach Mark Pope has affectionately called Noah a “sponge”—saying he just soaks up everything they teach, and will do whatever he is asked on both ends of the court. Pope’s comments highlight one of the great things about his coaching style: he knows exactly what each player brings to the floor and isn’t afraid to give them opportunities to shine. Tonight may be Trent Noah’s time to shine.
With the Wildcats gearing up for a key matchup against the Volunteers, the energy in Rupp Arena is expected, and needed, to be electric. A win over Tennessee could be the spark that propels the Cats into a great finish to the season. A loss puts them back under .500 in the conference and sets up a fight to the finish to get into the top 8 in the SEC.
What is Kentucky missing with Robinson out?
Jaxson Robinson has been on fire from three as of late hitting over 50 percent of his three’s in SEC play. He is the second leading scorer averaging just over 13 points 4 rebounds and 2 assists per game. A sound defensive player at times who bothered Zeigler in Knoxville, that responsibility will fall to Lamont Butler.
Looking forward
As Kentucky continues to build on its rich tradition of nurturing local talent, Trent Noah’s emergence is a promising sign for the future. If he keeps this momentum going, he could play a pivotal role in the Wildcats’ quest for success over the next fe years. But tonight is up first.
Now is the time for Rupp to rise up and for the fans to rally behind the team and help the Cats get the season sweep over the Vols.
