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Published Jan 6, 2020
Hagans' status uncertain as Cats head to Georgia
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Jeff Drummond  •  CatsIllustrated
Managing Editor
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@JDrumUK

Kentucky is bracing for the possibility of playing without its starting point guard Tuesday night at Georgia.

Ashton Hagans left Saturday's 71-59 win over Missouri with a sprained ankle in the final two minutes of the game. His status remained uncertain prior to Monday's practice.

"I think it's day-to-day," said UK assistant coach Joel Justus, adding that the No. 14 Wildcats did not have a full workout on Sunday. "... We'll see where he is today."

Hagans' left ankle seemed to give way on a nondescript play late in Saturday's game. Initially, the UK staff feared it might be an Achilles issue, which could have been a long-term issue and possibly cost the Cats' leader the remainder of his season. But tests confirmed it was just a mild sprain.

Asked if Hagans would practice on Monday, Justus said: "I don't know. I imagine he will, but you never know with what the medical folks say. I know our guys love to practice, and I think that's why our team is getting better, so I think they're going to be wanting to practice as much as they can just like they want to play."

Hagans has added incentive to play on Tuesday. The Cartersville, Ga., native originally committed to the Bulldogs before opting to sign with Kentucky.

In last season's game at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Hagans answered sneers and jeers from the UGA crowd with a 23-point performance in the Cats' 69-49 win.

It's not offense, though, that the UK staff says the Cats will miss the most if Hagans (12.9 ppg, 7.3 apg) is forced to miss the game.

"I think Ashton, you know, is a guy who starts our defense," Justus said. "(UK head coach John Calipari) has always said that your identity on defense starts on the ball. That’s obviously an important part of how we play and how Coach wants to coach. I think he gives the other guys confidence. He is a player who gives us defensive identity.

"When Cal’s teams have been great that’s what they’ve always had, a defensive identity. You know, if he’s not out there that means somebody else is going to have to pick up that slack.”

Sophomore Immanuel Quickley, who is coming off a career-high 23 points against Missouri, and freshman Tyrese Maxey will likely share lead guard duties if Hagans cannot play.

“It would definitely be a big position for us to fill," Quickley said. "What he gives our team, what he brings, his energy, his leadership, his defensive ability, his toughness. All stuff that’s hard to replace, but we would just have to try to do it as a collective team."

There will be added responsibility for Quickley, who may also draw the main defensive assignment on Georgia star Anthony Edwards. The freshman wing and one-time UK recruiting target is averaging 18.4 points per game.

"He’s a guy that has paid greater attention to multiple positions in our walkthroughs, and I think that’s what you want and you need out of these veteran guys," Justus said of Quickley, who had a similar role in UK's 78-70 win over No. 3 Louisville when he helped hold the Cardinals' star wing, Jordan Nwora, to just eight points on a 1-for-6 shooting day from the field.

Kentucky and Georgia, with matching 10-3 records, will tip off at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN. It's the league opener for the Bulldogs.

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