Jaland Lowe has very high praise for Mo Dioubate's rebounding ability

Mark Pope knew he had to answer the need for defense in a big way this offseason, and one of those big additions is Mo Dioubate, who was a force on the defensive end for Alabama last season. Dioubate is looking to bring his defensive skills to Lexington and fill a void that was needing to be filled on the defensive end.

Jaland Lowe, Kentucky's starting point guard for next season, had some very high praise for Dioubate's skills from what he has seen through the first few weeks of practice, and he has really let his defensive abilities shine.

"He's a dog, man, really strong. He has a really good feel for the game, just being in the right spots, knowing where everybody's supposed to be at, super athletic. (He) might be one of the best rebounders that I've been around, just off sheer will, not even anything else, just the fact that he's gonna beat you because of his mindset."Lowe on Dioubate's impressive rebounding

That's exactly the type of mindset Mark Pope wants to instill in his players, and Dioubate has that already. In his time speaking to media last week, you can tell Dioubate is a very focused person. Dioubate's rebounding numbers were some of the best in the SEC last season, ranking 5th in defensive rebounding percentage. The 6-7 forward is not only tenacious on the glass, but he can shut down almost anyone. Last season, he was a key reason why Otega Oweh's double-digit point streak ended.

With an expanded role in Lexington, his numbers should get even better.