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Reed Sheppard dishes 11 assists plus Boxscore and Other Vanderbilt Game Notes

Reed Sheppard had eight points and tied his career high for assists with 11 in Kentucky’s win over Vanderbilt in Rupp Arena last night.
Boxscore

 

MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
RUPP ARENA AT CENTRAL BANK CENTER | LEXINGTON, KY
MARCH 6, 2024
ATTENDANCE: 20,332

Final Score: No. 15/13 Kentucky 93, 77

Team Records and Series Notes

  • Kentucky is 22-8 on the season, 12-5 in the Southeastern Conference.
    • extended its win streak to four games in a row and swept the regular-season series vs. Vanderbilt.
    • With one game remaining, Kentucky is in a four-way tie for second place in the SEC standings and can finish between second and sixth in the SEC.
  • Vanderbilt is now 8-22 overall, 3-14 in league action.
  • Kentucky leads the series 157-49, including 86-16 in games played in Lexington.
  • Next for Kentucky: the Wildcats conclude the regular season Saturday at Tennessee. Game time is 4 p.m. and it will be televised by CBS.

Team Notes

  • This game marked Senior Night and three Wildcats were honored in pregame ceremonies – , and . It also is the final home game for Brennan Canada, who went through Senior Night ceremonies a year ago.
  • Kentucky scored 93 points.
    • UK entered the game third in the nation in scoring at 89.6 points per game.
  • Kentucky shot 50.7% from the field (37 of 73). It is the fourth straight game over 50% and UK is 15-0 this season when making at least 50% from the field.
    • UK entered the game sixth in the nation in field-goal percentage at 49.8%.
  • Kentucky shot 40.7% from 3-point range, 11 of 27. The Wildcats entered the game leading the nation at 40.8%.
  • Kentucky shot 88.9% on free throws, 8 of 9, the ninth straight game at least 75% at the line.
  • Kentucky won the rebounding, 44-32. UK is 14-0 this season when winning or tying the board work.
  • Kentucky tied its season high for assists with 27. With only 10 turnovers, UK had an assist/turnover ratio of +2.70.  UK entered the game 11th in the nation with a ratio of +1.67.
  • Kentucky led by as many as 19 points. UK is 348-17 (95.3%) in the era when leading by at least 10 points at some point in the game.

 Player Notes

  • led the Wildcats with 23 points, his seventh 20-point game and 24th double-figure scoring game of the season. He added five assists.
  • Antonio Reeves had 20 points, his sixth straight 20-point game and 17th of the season. He also tied for the team lead in rebounds with six.
    • Reeves is first Wildcat with six consecutive 20-point games since Jamal Murray had 12 in a row in February/March 2016.
    • He has scored in double figures in every game but one this season.
    • He also has hit at least one 3-pointer in every game but one this season.
    • He has 1,088 points in his two seasons as a Wildcat – moving up to No. 50 on the all-time UK list and No. 3 among Wildcats who played only two seasons at UK.
  • J. Wagner had 11 points, his third straight game in double figures and 13th of the season. He also had five assists.
  • had 10 points, his 12th double-figure game of the season.
  • Reed Sheppard had eight points and tied his career high for assists with 11.
    • He had one steal, advancing to third on the UK single-season list with 77.
  • had six points, tied for the team lead in rebounds with six, and led the plus/minus category with a +24.

Coach John Calipari

  • Calipari has an 854-261 (76.6%) all-time on-court record, including 409-121 (77.2%) at Kentucky.
  • Calipari is 336-70 (82.8%) against unranked opponents while at Kentucky.
  • Calipari is 405-131 (75.6%) in conference games during his career, including 197-65 (75.2%) in the SEC.
  • Calipari is 27-6 vs. Vanderbilt.

In the First Half

  • Kentucky started Kareem Watkins, D.J. Wagner, Antonio Reeves, Tre Mitchell and Ugonna Onyenso for the first time.
  • Justin Edwards was UK’s first substitution with 18:56 remaining.
  • Tied at 16 midway through the half, Vanderbilt hit consecutive 3-pointers to take its largest lead at 22-16.
  • The Commodores kept the lead until Kentucky hit four consecutive 3-pointers in the final 1:40 – including one by Reeves at the buzzer – as UK led 45-40 at intermission.
    • Having trailed 34-29 with 3:30 remaining, UK ended the half on a 16-6 run.
  • UK is 19-3 this season when leading at halftime.

In the Second Half

  • Kentucky began the second half with Wagner, Reeves, Edwards, Thiero and Onyenso.
  • Edwards scored UK’s first eight points as UK took its then-largest lead at 53-45.
  • Kentucky eventually pulled ahead by 19 points at 84-65.
  • The Commodores responded with eight quick points to make it 84-73 but got no closer.

 

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Walter Cornett, of Glendale, Kentucky, is the owner and operator of Walter’s Wildcat World. He founded WildcatWorld.com in 1998 making it one of the oldest Kentucky basketball fan sites in operation today.

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