LEXINGTON, Ky. (NEWS FIRST) – Kentucky men’s basketball’s standout freshman guard, Reed Sheppard, clinched the Southeastern Conference’s Freshman of the Week accolade for the third occasion this season. The announcement came on Monday.
The 6-foot-3 guard, hailing from London, Kentucky, showcased an exceptional performance in UK’s dramatic comeback victory against Mississippi State on Feb. 27. Sheppard delivered a career-best performance, notching 32 points along with five rebounds, seven assists, two blocks, and two steals.
Impressively, Sheppard’s scoring surge intensified after halftime, contributing 23 points, with eleven of them coming in the final 93 seconds. His remarkable display marked the sole instance this season in NCAA basketball of a player achieving 30 or more points, seven or more assists, five or more rebounds, two or more blocks, and two or more steals. It also stands as one of just 11 such performances dating back to 1996-97, and notably, only the second by an SEC player in that time span. Additionally, Sheppard becomes the first Kentucky player in 25 seasons to register multiple games with 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists, and the first Wildcat with 30 points, five boards, and five assists in a single game since Derek Anderson in November of 1996.
Throughout the week, Sheppard maintained a remarkable scoring average of 21.0 points on 66.7% shooting, including an impressive 54.5% from 3-point range, and a flawless 1.000% from the free-throw line. Alongside his scoring prowess, he contributed 6.5 assists, 1.0 block, and 1.0 steal per game. Noteworthy is his season-long performance, with Sheppard already amassing 76 steals, ranking him third on UK’s single-season list.
Kentucky’s dominance in SEC Freshman of the Week awards continues, with a record-breaking five Wildcats securing the honor this season. Sheppard, alongside D.J. Wagner, claims the distinction thrice, while Aaron Bradshaw, Rob Dillingham, and Justin Edwards have each claimed it once.
