The 6-foot-8 junior tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, the school said Thursday. A
date for surgery has not been set, but recovery typically takes six to eight months.

Wildcats coach John Calipari called the injury "a big blow to our team. No one will be able to
replace Alex and what he did for this team."

The coach said on his web site Friday that Poythress was injured on a breakaway layup without contact.

"He stepped with his left leg and just went down," said Calipari, who was to discuss the injury
at an afternoon news conference.

Poythress started eight games for the Wildcats (10-0), who face North Carolina on Saturday in a major
test. He averaged 5.5 points and 3.8 rebounds in 20 minutes.

The muscular forward was shooting just 38 percent but leads the team at the foul line, making nearly 86
percent. He is third on the team in blocks and sixth in rebounding.

Pursuing a title was a key motivation for Poythress to return for a third season after last spring’s NCAA
title-game loss to Connecticut.

Poythress and 7-foot Willie Cauley-Stein are the most experienced players on a 10-deep roster featuring
nine Wildcats at least 6-6, leading Calipari to implement a two-platoon system. Poythress and
Cauley-Stein are featured on the front cover of this year’s media guide.

This is the third straight season Kentucky has lost a key regular.

Last spring, Cauley-Stein missed the final three games of the run to the NCAA title game with an ankle
injury. Forward Nerlens Noel tore an ACL in February 2013, an injury that ultimately led to Kentucky
missing the NCAA tournament.

Freshman guards Devin Booker and Tyler Ulis missed Wednesday’s 56-46 victory over Columbia with
unspecified injuries. Calipari said afterward he didn’t know if they would play against the Tar Heels.

"How they will respond I really don’t know," Calipari said in a school statement. "But I
will do my best to be there for each of these kids."