First "true" road game against a team unbeaten at home. Facing an opponent blessed with the highest rated prospect in the history of the program. Playing against a Kentucky player's home state school, a scenario that has brought out the best in UK's point guard/floor leader.
It would be nice if that player, Ashton Hagans, could play in Kentucky's game at Georgia on Tuesday night. But that was not a sure thing after a sprained an ankle late in Saturday's game against Missouri.
UK assistant coach Joel Justus, who substituted for John Calipari at Monday's news conference, could not say if Hagans will play against Georgia.
"It's day-to-day," Justus said of Hagans' status.
Citing UK players' eagerness to participate, Justus said he expected Hagans on the floor for Monday's practice. But even practice was not a certainty as Justus added that UK's medical staff might advise that the sophomore guard remain on the sideline.
"I think Ashton, you know, is a guy who starts our defense ...," Justus said when asked to describe Hagans' role. "I think he gives other guys confidence. He is a player who gives us defensive identity."
When asked about the what-if hanging over this game, teammate Immanuel Quickley said, "It'd definitely be a big position for us to fill. What he gives our team, what he brings, is energy, leadership, his defensive ability, his toughness. All stuff that is hard to replace."
Hagans has contributed those things in abundance when Kentucky has played Georgia or Georgia Tech. Hagans, who is from Cartersville, Ga., flirted with a triple-double when UK defeated Tech earlier this season: 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
In UK's victory at Georgia last season, Hagans scored a season-high 23 points.
