Kentucky has been up and down just about all season. One sport, it is a loss to UNCW. Two video games later, it is a win over North Carolina. One Saturday, it is a third straight loss inside Rupp Enviornment for the primary time in class historical past. Two Saturdays later, it is a complete thrashing of Alabama that adopted a loss at LSU that adopted a double-digit win at Auburn.
You by no means know what you are getting.
With that because the backdrop, UK visited Mississippi State on Tuesday in pursuit of a second straight Quadrant 1 victory. For many of the evening, it appeared just like the Wildcats would fail to capitalize; they trailed by as many as 13 factors within the second half. However then Reed Sheppard obtained going and turned in an all-time nice efficiency for one of many sport’s largest manufacturers. The 6-foot-3 freshman was the primary purpose UK erased the deficit. He assisted on the bucket that gave the Wildcats their first lead with 4:24 remaining. Then he buried a floater with lower than a second left to interrupt a tie, keep away from additional time and raise Kentucky to a 91-89 victory inside Humphrey Coliseum.
“A number of that comes from my teammates giving me confidence,” Sheppard mentioned. “The entire sport, they’re telling me within the huddles, ‘Simply maintain enjoying. Maintain attacking. Lead us.’ That is big. They only stored placing confidence in me the entire sport.”
Calling what Sheppard did an “all-time nice efficiency for one of many sport’s largest manufacturers” will not be hyperbole. At Mississippi State, the projected one-and-done lottery choose (if he needs to be) took 14 pictures, made 11 of them and completed with 32 factors, seven rebounds, 5 assists, two steals and two blocks in 35 minutes off the bench. These numbers allowed Sheppard to change into the primary Wildcat to attain at the least 30 factors, seize at the least 5 rebounds and dish at the least 5 assists in the identical sport since Derek Anderson did it in January 1996 for a staff that completed 34-2 and gained the nationwide championship beneath Naismith Memorial Corridor of Fame coach Rick Pitino.
Additionally on that staff: Jeff Sheppard.
That is Reed’s father.
“Rising up, as slightly child, I at all times wished to play at Kentucky,” Sheppard mentioned. “So being on the market, and with the ability to hit a game-winning shot for Kentucky, was actually cool. It was actually particular for me.”
The come-from-behind victory at Mississippi State improved Kentucky to 8-7 within the first two quadrants with a further loss to Wilmington falling in Q3. The Wildcats are as much as twentieth in Wednesday morning’s up to date CBS Sports activities Prime 25 And 1 every day faculty basketball rankings — one spot behind BYU, which is now 9-8 within the first two quadrants with zero extra losses after Tuesday evening’s win at Kansas. The Cougars and Wildcats leaping into the highest 20 of the Prime 25 And 1 precipitated Washington State, South Carolina, Florida and Saint Mary’s to be pushed down two spots every, no fault of their very own. Oklahoma and Nebraska are nonetheless rounding issues out.
Prime 25 And 1 rankings
In:Â BYU |Â Out: Wisconsin