Reed Sheppard dunks first college career points plus Boxscore and Other Game Notes

 

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KENTUCKY MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
RUPP ARENA AT CENTRAL BANK CENTER | LEXINGTON, KY.
NOV. 6, 2023
ATTENDANCE: 18,438

Final Score: No. 16 Kentucky 86, New Mexico State 46

Team Records and Series Notes

• This was the season opener for both teams.
• Kentucky leads the series 2-0, with this being the first game in Lexington. The previous matchup was an 82-60 UK win in the 1999 NCAA Tournament in New Orleans. 
• The Wildcats return to action Friday, Nov. 10, at home against Texas A&M-Commerce. Game time is 7 p.m. and it will be televised on SEC Network+.

Season Openers

• Beginning its 122^nd season of men’s basketball, UK now has a 100-21 record in season lidlifters (no official games played in the 1952-53 season).
• Kentucky is 13-2 in season openers under Coach John Calipari.
• Kentucky is 15-0 in home openers with Coach Calipari.

Team Notes

• Kentucky limited New Mexico State to 46 points.
  • UK is 90-0 under Calipari when keeping the opponent to 55 points or less.
  • UK is 215-10 (95.6%) under Calipari when keeping the opponent to 63 points or less.
• NMSU shot 32.1% from the field. UK is 234-24 (90.7%) under Calipari when keeping the opponent to 40% or less. 
• Kentucky forced 18 turnovers, 13 of which were steals, and UK won points off turnovers, 24-6.
• Kentucky won the rebounding, 43-33.
• Kentucky led by as many as 40 points. The Wildcats are 330-14 (95.9%) in the Calipari era when leading by as many as 10 points at any time during the contest. 
• Five Wildcats scored in double figures, first time that has happened since Jan. 24, 2023 at Vanderbilt.

Rupp Arena

• Kentucky is 15-0 in home openers with Coach Calipari.
• Kentucky is 648-81 (88.9%) in the 48-year history of Rupp Arena.
• Kentucky is 221-21 (91.3%) in Rupp Arena under Calipari.

Player Notes  

• Rob Dillingham led all scorers with 17 points.
• DJ Wagner tallied 13 points and led the team in steals with three.
• Justin Edwards and Reed Sheppard had 12 points each.
• Antonio Reeves had 11 points, the 87^th double-figure game of his career.
• Tre Mitchell totaled nine points, nine rebounds, five assists and a steal. 
• Becoming more of an inside presence, Adou Thiero had five points and a career-high seven rebounds.

Coach John Calipari

• This was Calipari’s first game against New Mexico State.
• Calipari has an 833-253 all-time on-court record and a 388-113 mark at Kentucky.
• Calipari is 318-64 (83.2%) at UK against unranked competition.
• See additional Calipari notes above under Season Openers and Rupp Arena.

In the First Half

• Kentucky started DJ Wagner, Antonio Reeves, Justin Edwards, Adou Thiero and Tre Mitchell.
• Rob Dillingham was UK’s first substitution at the 16:05 mark.
• Trailing 6-2, Kentucky took the lead with an 8-0 run and never trailed again.
• UK led by as many as 11 points but an NMSU 3-pointer near the halftime buzzer left the count 37-29 going into intermission.
• All eight Wildcats who played also scored, led by eight points each from Reeves and Reed Sheppard.

In the Second Half

• Kentucky began the second half with the starting lineup.
• The Wildcats scored the first five points of the half to push the advantage to 42-29. 
• Ahead 48-35, an 11-0 UK run gave the Cats a comfortable cushion, 59-35. 
• The Wildcats finished the game on a 17-0 run, leading to the final verdict of 86-46.