The bracket is set, and LaMarch is set to be part of it following his latest injury scare.
Kentucky Wildcats point guard Lamont Butler has been struggling with a shoulder injury over the last several months, and it appears that he is good to go for the NCAA Tournament.
The Cats will open their tournament play with the 14th-seeded Troy Trojans in the Midwest Region.
Kentucky earned a No. 3 seed in the region. Its resume included two wins over Tennessee and a victory over Duke, which was the No. 2 seed in the official 1-68 rankings of the teams that cracked the tournament. It has several other pivotal wins, like on a neutral court against Gonzaga, along the way as well.
As for Butler, he was interviewed after the Cats’ destiny was established, where he confirmed he’s good to go for the NCAA Tournament. He was also asked if he has a little more magic left in him, and let’s just say he certainly hopes he can pull off something for fans.
“I’m just excited to go out there and have the opportunity to reach the Final Four and win that championship game at Kentucky, so I’m really excited, and I can’t wait to get out there,” said Butler.”
Lamont Butler speaks about the upcoming tournament pic.twitter.com/1nKr4XKKCu
— Dylan Ballard (@DylanBallard_UK) March 16, 2025
In addition, following the brackets being announced, Mark Pope said Butler is healthy and ready for the NCAA Tournament.
“The plan is for him to play for sure. I don’t think there’s a lot of doubt in that,” Pope said on The Field of 68.
Butler, who transferred to Kentucky under the new head coach, has been the team’s leader and has been a staple for this squad, especially on the defensive end. Without Jaxson Robinson, having Butler on the court is a huge win for the Cats as they set to face the winner of the Sun Belt Tournament.
If Kentucky is able to win its first matchup, it will face the winner of Illinois and either Texas or Xavier. Tennessee is the No. 2 seed in its region, so the Cats may see the Vols for a third time this season as well.