reed sheppard

Reed Sheppard wins it late for Kentucky as they get out of Starkville with a 91-89 win.

This game marked Sheppard’s highest scoring output in an SEC matchup this season and the fourth time he has achieved the feat of scoring 20 points or more in a single game. Unfortunately for Kentucky, they were without the services of freshman guards Justin Edwards and D.J. Wagner, both of whom missed the game due to injury.

Martin acknowledged Coach Cal’s ability to recognize and adapt to the flow of the game, stating, “He saw a few things that were going really well for us. Reed was able to get to the rim a number of times at critical moments in the second half. Once you see that once or twice, you just feel like, you know what, let’s stick with Reed and see what happens. He made some great plays down the stretch.”

Moreover, Dillingham and Sheppard have developed a strong chemistry on and off the court. As roommates in the lodge, the two have grown close quickly. According to Sheppard, their on-court chemistry is a result of their constant collaboration and practice together, stating, “In practice, we’re always shooting together.”

Antonio Reeves has been a standout player for the Wildcats, garnering recognition as the 2023 Southeastern Conference Co-Sixth Man of the Year. He currently leads the team in scoring, averaging an impressive 18.6 points per game in the 2023-24 season. Reeves has consistently achieved double-digit scoring in 13 out of the team’s 14 games, and he has even surpassed the 20-point mark in six games. Notably, he put up a remarkable 30 points against Louisville on December 21, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished by a Kentucky player since Tony Delk achieved the same in 1995.

Under the tenure of Coach John Calipari, UK has dominated the SEC weekly honors, with a staggering 130 awards. Out of those, 99 have been SEC Freshman of the Week titles, and 31 have been SEC Player of the Week recognitions. Bradshaw joins a prestigious list of UK freshmen who have earned this accolade in the current season, alongside Reed Sheppard and D.J. Wagner, both of whom have received the honor twice.

Kentucky is coming off a dominant performance against Louisville just before the holiday break, where they secured a solid 95-76 victory at the KFC Yum! Center. Super senior Antonio Reeves led the way for the Wildcats with an impressive 30-point performance. Freshman Reed Sheppard also had a standout game with 11 points and 11 assists. Sheppard’s outstanding performance earned him the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week award for the second consecutive time.

Under the guidance of head coach John Calipari, the University of Kentucky has dominated the SEC awards. With a total of 129 weekly SEC honors, Kentucky has claimed more awards than any other school during Calipari’s tenure. This includes an impressive 98 SEC Freshman of the Week accolades and 31 SEC Player of the Week honors. Sheppard adds to Kentucky’s legacy, as he joins teammate D.J. Wagner as a two-time recipient of the Freshman of the Week honor.

This is the first time Sheppard has received this honor, and it marks the second consecutive week that a UK freshman has been named the top-performing first-year player in the SEC, following D.J. Wagner’s recognition last week. The University of Kentucky has a storied history of success in the SEC, having earned a total of 127 weekly SEC honors during the John Calipari era. Among these accolades, 96 have been SEC Freshman of the Week awards, and 31 have been SEC Player of the Week honors.

While Sheppard’s performance was commendable, it wasn’t enough to secure a victory for Kentucky. Antonio Reeves added 14 points before fouling out, while Justin Edwards and Tre Mitchell each contributed 11 points and six rebounds. Unfortunately, the Wildcats struggled from behind the arc, only making five of 17 attempts, resulting in a disappointing 29.4 percent shooting percentage.