What Nick Richards’ ankle injury could mean for Kentucky basketball

LEXINGTON — Kentucky basketball might look on its first 2019 exhibition game as not worth the trouble should an injury to junior forward Nick Richards prove serious.

Richards rolled an ankle early in the second half after landing on Georgetown College guard Jake Ohmer’s foot. UK went on to win the exhibition game 80-53, but Richards did not return to the game.

“Swelled up,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said after the game. “I didn’t see it on the tape, but they told me he rolled it pretty good. I don’t know if he stepped on an ankle or if he just rolled it, but it was swelled up.”

Richards status is uncertain after the injury — it should be noted that sophomore point guard Ashton Hagans told reporters he did not believe Richards’ injury was serious  — but if his return is delayed by even a week it could have significant implications on Kentucky’s season with the regular season opener versus No. 1 Michigan State looming on Nov. 5.

Here’s a closer look at what the injury might mean for UK.

Smaller lineup a necessity

While Richards is unavailable, Calipari will be forced to make use of a smaller lineup with freshmen Keion Brooks or Kahlil Whitney playing the four. Even if he starts the remaining two healthy scholarship post players on the roster, graduate student Nate Sestina and sophomore EJ Montgomery, that duo cannot play the entire game, forcing Brooks or Whitney into the frontcourt at times.

Brooks is the favorite to take over that role as he spent most of the last month of practice working with the big men in five-on-five situations. The Indiana native started the Georgetown exhibition at the three and finished the game with eight points on 3-of-7 shooting. He grabbed just one rebound though.

You may like:Trio of guards lead Kentucky basketball in exhibition win over Georgetown College

We could play three guards and be fine,” Calipari said. “Immanuel (Quickley), obviously Ashton (Hagans) and Tyrese (Maxey). I mean, you’ve got three 6-3-ish kind of guards who have some toughness to them, so you can do it. The issue becomes shot blocking and how we are playing behind those three.

“With Nick in there and even EJ, but we had a couple guys that didn’t get any rebounds, and you’re a front-line player. That means you’re not focused on, ‘I’m going to go get balls.’ You’re focused on other things. Just takes time for these guys. This takes time.”