KSR Today: Sheppard and the Comeback Cats

by:Nick Roush•02/28/24•

RoushKSR

It felt like deja vu all over again in so many ways. From start to finish, the Big Blue Nation had seen this story before. A dramatic Kentucky comeback ended with a Sheppard in No. 15 as the star of the show.

The Wildcats trailed by 13 points in the second half, took an 8-point lead in the final minute, yet needed a Reed Sheppard shot at the buzzer to hold on for a 91-89 victory over Mississippi State at The Hump.

The freshman from London, KY was sensational. He scored a career-high 32 points, including the final two, while also piling up 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 steals.

REED SHEPPARD WINS IT FOR NO. 16 KENTUCKY 😱

WHAT A FINISH IN STARKVILLE 🔥 @KentuckyMBB pic.twitter.com/AaIurMWuEG
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) February 28, 2024

The hero is the main attraction in the story of last night’s game, but the bookends also share a familiar tale. It was another slow start for Kentucky, even slower than usual. After more than five minutes the Wildcats trailed 14-3, missing open looks left and right.

Now well into SEC play, the team was not too rattled to claw back into the game. However, every time it felt like they were about to get over the hump at The Hump, Josh Hubbard had an answer. The Mississippi State freshman opened the second half by hitting an ‘And One’ from behind the three-point line to give the Bulldogs a 12-point lead. He finished the night with 34 points.

A fun new twist to this story — this time the Wildcats finally did break through with clutch buckets. Against Tennessee and Gonzaga, Kentucky inched closer to make it a one-score game, but could not sustain game pressure. They spent 15 minutes knocking on the door before busting it down with a Rob Dillingham three-pointer.

Sheppard appeared to have done enough for Kentucky to run away with the game, stealing a ball and finishing with the foul in transition to give the Cats an 8-point advantage. But, that’s the thing with this team, they love to make you sweat it out.

Like we saw against Kansas, Texas A&M, and Florida, they could not finish their opponent. Ugonna Onyenso fouled a layup shooter, Sheppard made an errant pass, and then Hubbard went crazy with three made threes in the final minute. In the blink of an eye, it was a tie ballgame, deja vu all over again.

Instead of completely crumbling, Reed Sheppard did not flinch. Kentucky got over the hump at The Hump and closed out an NCAA Tournament team in a hostile environment. The road trip to Starkville is the galvanizing moment this team needs to continue to build momentum for a magical run through March that results in a happy ending.

Reed Sheppard Turns Dream Into Reality

Reed Sheppard is never too boastful. After last night’s performance, the kid from Kentucky admitted he played out this scenario multiple times in his backyard.

“It was really cool,” Sheppard said. “Growing up, as a little kid, I always wanted to play at Kentucky, so being out there and being able to hit a game-winning shot for Kentucky was really cool. It was really special for me and to be able to do it with this group of guys that are really, really close off the court was really special.”

Calipari Not Down-Playing Win

The game featured so many ups and downs, and even though it ended with an up, John Calipari had to point out the various mistakes his team made throughout the game. He was ready to wring Reed’s neck for throwing the ball away and told Ugo before he fouled “do not foul.” Such is life as a CBB coach.

“The good news is, I know the ending, so it’ll be a little bit easier to watch (a second time)” said Calipari.

The win improves Calipari’s record to 20-1 against Mississippi State, a Dontaie Allen three in the SEC Tournament away from an unblemished record. It was also SEC win No. 403, moving him into a tie with C.M. Newton for the fourth-most wins in league history.

“That is not a first or second round NCAA game. You’re in the third round, that’s who you’re playing. They’re that good. They’re in the 20s in the NET. They beat Tennessee here. They beat Auburn here,” said Calipari.

“This was a big-time win. We’re going to celebrate. To beat these guys and how they’re playing right now, big-time.”

Postgame Reaction following the Kentucky Win

While you were celebrating, players, fans, and coaches were talking about the jaw-dropping victory at Mississippi State. A rundown of it all:

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Kentucky Baseball gets a W

While John Calipari’s squad was raising hell on the road, Nick Mingione’s team took care of business at Kentucky Proud Park. Eight pitchers combined to pitch a shutout in the 5-0 Wildcat victory over Western Kentucky. Austin Fawley notched his first career hit and blasted a Big Blue Bomb over the left field wall.