Reed Sheppard can't stop picking pockets (and Rajon Rondo's record is in sight)

Reed Sheppard has been picking pockets all season long, but the streak he’s on right now is something we haven’t seen in the history of Kentucky men’s basketball.

During Wednesday night’s (soul-crushing) loss to LSU on the road, Sheppard finished with five steals once again. This marks the third game in a row that the freshman guard has registered five thefts. He’s the first Wildcat ever to do so, according to UK statistician Corey Price. Going back a couple of games, Sheppard has now recorded five steals in four of his last five outings. He has 22 total steals (4.4 per contest) over that span.

Sheppard has been pestering ball handlers from the moment he stepped on the floor for Kentucky. His 2.7 steals per game average leads the entire SEC by half a steal. This recent streak is unprecedented though, and it might just be enough to help him break the program’s single-season steals record. Rajon Rondo‘s mark of 87 swipes during his freshman campaign in the 2004-05 season is still a ways away, but it’s well within reach.

With Wednesday night’s game, Sheppard is up to 70 steals through 26 games this season, moving him into the top five all-time. He’s now surpassed Kyle Macy (1978-79) and Rondo (2005-06), who both had 69 in a single season. All four Wildcats ahead of him played at least 32 games in their respective seasons. Sheppard is just 10 steals away from moving into second place.

If Sheppard maintains his 2.7 steals per game average throughout the rest of Kentucky’s season, he’ll need to play at least seven more games to break Rondo’s record. Kentucky has five remaining on the schedule before postseason play begins. At the minimum, the ‘Cats will play at least one game in the SEC and NCAA Tournaments.

There is a very real chance that Sheppard will sit at the top of this list by the end of March.