A Sea Of Blue Nov 30, 2023
ESPN NBA Mock Draft now has Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham in first round
Jason Marcum - A Sea Of Blue The Dilly and Reed backcourt has been nothing short of amazing. If you didn’t believe it already, believe it now: Reed Sheppard is a first-round NBA Draft prospect, as a major NBA Mock Draft just included him among the top 30 picks. In the latest mock draft at ESPN, Sheppard cracked the first round, going No. 25 overall to the Indiana Pacers, where he would team up with Oscar Tshiebwe, who just got his first call-up to the NBA. This shouldn’t come as any real surprise for anyone who’s watched Sheppard play this season, as he’s been...
A Sea Of Blue Nov 29, 2023
John Calipari and Wildcats recap big win over Miami, plus postgame notes
Dylan Ballard - A Sea Of Blue Hear what Coach Cal, Reed Sheppard, and others hard to say about Kentucky’s impressive win over the No. 8 Canes. The Kentucky Wildcats scored their biggest win of the season in awe-inspiring fashion Tuesday night, defeating the No. 8 Miami Hurricanes 95-73. Reed Sheppard led the way with 21 points, followed by Antonio Reeves (18), Tre Mitchell (14), and Rob Dillingham (12). After the game, head coach John Calipari and select players met with the media. Here is a recap of what they had to say via UK Athletics. JOHN CALIPARI: Got...
A Sea Of Blue Nov 28, 2023
DJ Wagner continues to show improvement; earns weekly SEC honor
Dylan Ballard - A Sea Of Blue Wagner’s improvement will be key to determining how much of a contender this season. After needing overtime against Saint Joseph’s earlier last week, the Kentucky Wildcats scored 69 points in the first half of Friday night’s game against Marshall, the most in any half at Rupp Arena, and won 118-82, the most points scored under John Calipari. Now, Rob Dillingham, who made seven of his eight shots (including both 3-pointers) Friday, also dished out a game-high eight assists and played a great game. So did Tre Mitchell and Antonio Reeves...
A Sea Of Blue Nov 24, 2023
Highlights, MVP, and Twitter reactions from Wildcats’ scorching victory over Marshall
Dylan Ballard - A Sea Of Blue The Cats put up a performance for the record books. The Kentucky Wildcats moved to 5-1 on the young season Friday night, as they knocked off the Marshall Thundering Herd in Rupp Arena, 118-82. The story of the season to this point has been the elite offense this team has shown. That continued tonight. They finished the first half shooting 65% from the field, including an absurd 73% from three. The Cats also featured four guys in double figures (Tre Mitchell, Antonio Reeves, DJ Wagner, and Justin Edwards), as well as Rob Dillingham entering...
A Sea Of Blue Nov 22, 2023
Pair of Wildcats make the On3 Freshman Power Rankings
Dylan Ballard - A Sea Of Blue The Cats had the best incoming recruiting class, and they are shining in Lexington The Kentucky Wildcats brought in four 5-star recruits and then a 4-star recruit. So far, despite having lost to Kansas in the Champions Classic, the Cats are living up to the hype. The only incoming freshman fans have yet to see is top-10 recruit Aaron Bradshaw, who has been sidelined with the Cats' other 7-footers. That said, Reed Sheppard and Justin Edwards are the two who didn’t crack the list, with Rob Dillingham and DJ Wagner making an appearance....
A Sea Of Blue Nov 21, 2023
Tuesday Headlines: DJ Wagner and Justin Edwards Bounce Back Edition
Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports This was great to see. It’s been no secret that both DJ Wagner and Justin Edwards had severely struggled to start the year for Kentucky. Their efficiency had not been very good and they didn’t look like they were playing with any rhythm. But in Kentucky’s 96-88 overtime win over Saint Joseph’s, both had their best game of this young season. Wagner tied Tre Mitchell for the team lead in points with 22, while also tying Rob Dillingham for the team lead in assists with six. He added three rebounds, a steal and a block. But most...
A Sea Of Blue Nov 20, 2023
Highlights, MVP, and Twitter reactions as Cats edge Saint Joseph’s in OT
Isamu Haynes-Sunayama - A Sea Of Blue What. A. Game. The Kentucky Wildcats got their Feast Week kicked off with a win over the Saint Joseph’s Hawks in Rupp Arena, 96-88. It was a back-and-forth game for much of the first half. The Cats got out to a slow start once again, forcing John Calipari’s hand to insert Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham right around the under-16 media timeout. From that point on, Kentucky traded punches with the Hawks throughout the half, as the UK offense stayed hot, shooting 54% from the field through the first 20 minutes. Ultimately, the...
A Sea Of Blue Nov 20, 2023
Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard among top freshmen nationally: Should one or both be starting?
Dylan Ballard - A Sea Of Blue Dillingham and Sheppard are putting up some impressive numbers. Is it time for one or both of them to enter the starting lineup? The plus/minus statistic is one of the most controversial in basketball. However, with a good sample size, it can show how much a player impacts the game by showing if the team is in a scoring surplus or deficit when they are on the court. Four games in, the Kentucky Wildcats’ two leading players in plus/minus are Rob Dillingham (+84) and Reed Sheppard (+85). They have done so by playing the fifth and sixth-most...
A Sea Of Blue Nov 17, 2023
Kentucky cruises past Stonehill: 4 things to know and postgame cheers
Dylan Ballard - A Sea Of Blue The Cats move to 3-1 on the season thanks to a big night from Reed Sheppard. The Kentucky Wildcats looked to get back in the win column tonight as they returned to Rupp Arena for a date with the Stonehill College Skyhawks. The Cats did just that as they cruised to a win, 101-67. If you watched the first half, it looked similar to an all-star game out there. Both teams shot the lights out, as the teams combined for 95 points through the first 20 minutes of play. Whether it was Antonio Reeves, Tre Mitchell, Reed Sheppard, Rob Dillingham, or...
A Sea Of Blue Nov 16, 2023
John Calipari praises Jordan Burks for stepping up vs. No. 1 Kansas
Isamu Haynes-Sunayama - A Sea Of Blue The freshman forward impressed against the No. 1 team in college basketball. The Kentucky Wildcats fell to the No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks on Tuesday night, but the overall performance impressed many across college basketball circles. With Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard shining under the bright lights, it was another freshman who received some huge praise from John Calipari. Jordan Burks has been inserted into a backup center role for the Cats as they wait for the return of Aaron Bradshaw, Ugonna Onyenso, and Zvonimir Ivisic. He played...
A Sea Of Blue Nov 10, 2023
Wildcats hit a feat they haven’t had since 2011-12 season
Dylan Ballard - A Sea Of Blue You remember what happened just over a decade ago, right? The Kentucky Wildcats may just have something cooking. Well, to be exact, their 2023-2024 team has done something that they haven’t done since their 2011-2012 championship team, and that is to put five players in double figures through each of their first two games of the season. Against Texas A&M Commerce on Friday, all five starters notched double figures. Guard Antonio Reeves led the way with 21 points, but DJ Wagner (11), Justin Edwards (16), and Rob Dillingham (12), all...
A Sea Of Blue Nov 10, 2023
John Calipari and Wildcats recap win vs. Texas A&M Commerce, plus postgame notes
Dylan Ballard - A Sea Of Blue The Cats are 2-0 to open the 2023-24 season. The Kentucky Wildcats are now 2-0 following an 81-61 victory over Texas A&M Commerce. The Cats overcame an early 21-8 hole and used a 33-9 run to pull away for good. Kentucky’s starting five all reached double figures, led by Antonio Reeves (21), followed by Tre Mitchell (18), Justin Edwards (16), Rob Dillingham (12), and DJ Wagner (11). Dillingham was inserted into the lineup and pushed Edwards down to the starting 4 spot to replace Adou Thiero, who was out with a concussion. Courtesy of...
