Kentucky's Lefty Offense Flops Without Lowe

0:00On March 24, Kentucky's Wildcats crashed out of the NCAA tournament in the second round, losing to Iowa State after a disappointing season. Analysts are digging into why such a high-priced roster fell short of expectations. Coach Mark Pope praised his players for battling through injuries and roster shakeups that forced constant changes. The trouble started with Point Guard Jalan Lo, who hurt his shoulder in an early scrimmage. Lo was left-handed, so last spring the team flipped its entire offensive setup to make the most of that, especially in pick and roll plays with. Right-handed big men, Pope stepped up to the plan even after Lo, re-aggravated the injury and had season ending surgery in January. Switching back would have been too disruptive midway through, since they were so committed to the lefty orientation. Critics wonder if they could have adapted sooner for right-handed ball handler Denzel Aberdeen. Police can often mirror to the other side, and ambidextrous skills are basic, but those tweaks in tight spots added up and hurt the team.

1:02As the all season review continues, Kentucky faces tough questions about risk-taking on injuries and flexibility, setting the stage for a roster, rebuild ahead.