Reeves fuels Cats' 76-67 win over Texas A&M
Kentucky guard Antonio Reeves dished the ball off to a teammates during Saturday's game at Rupp Arena. Reeves scored a game-high 23 points off the bench for UK. (Brett Corman/Cats Illustrated)
Jeff Drummond • CatsIllustrated
Managing Editor Edit
@JDrumUK
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- The Kentucky Wildcats may never get their cell phones back at this rate.
Playing their third game since a shocking home loss to South Carolina prompted coach John Calipari to start gathering the team's phones and electronic devices the night prior to tipoff, the Wildcats delivered their third straight impressive performance on Saturday against Texas A&M.
Antonio Reeves came off the bench to score a season-high 23 points, including five of Kentucky's 11 3-pointers, as the Cats handed the Aggies their first loss in SEC play, 76-67 at Rupp Arena.
"It tells you a lot about the guys, but Antonio Reeves, those two baskets late, you need somebody to just go get a basket, and he did it," Calipari said.
The UK boss added a new twist to the latest pregame ritual. The Cats stayed downtown at the Hyatt Regency hotel and got a rare early shootaround at Rupp Arena, something he claimed they had not done during his time in Lexington.
"No phones, 10:45, in a hotel room. Not much to do but hang out, but that's what we need, just bonding,," said UK sophomore center Lance Ware.
"As the season went on and we had what everybody used to call 'Camp Cal,' every weekend game and every weekday game if there was no class we stayed in a hotel, had dinner together, had breakfast together, did everything -- wanting them to be with us," Calipari said. "I did it last night. ... (ESPN analyst and former UK assistant coach) Jimmy Dykes said Coach (Eddie) Sutton did it every game. They shot in that building. We have never done it.
"It's something that I've done with different teams, I just never did it here, but going forward I think it's something that we'll probably do because this team is getting closer and closer and closer."
Kentucky (13-6, 4-3 SEC) also got 17 points, five rebounds, and five assists from senior forward Jacob Toppin, 12 points from CJ Fredrick, and 11 points from Cason Wallace on a day when star center Oscar Tshiebwe battled early foul trouble and scored just seven points. He did, however, manage to pull down a game-high 17 rebounds.
"You try to prep for it," Texas A&M coach Buzz Williams said of facing the physical Tshiebwe. "I don’t know if you can prep. We can’t prep last minute, the physicality that 34 plays with. The stress that he causes on both ends is, I mean we show clips and we talk about it, we try to have guys mimic it, but I mean he’s the reigning National Player of the Year.
"I hope that’s how we play, but as far as 34 is concerned, it is hard to practice that unless he’s on your team I guess.”
Kentucky won the offensive rebounding column 18-4, leading to a 16-2 advantage in second-chance points.
Texas A&M (13-6, 5-1 SEC) shot well (49% FG, 100% FT) but finished minus-24 on scoring from the arc, making just three 3-pointers to Kentucky's 11.
Senior guard Tyrece Radford led the Aggies with 22 points.
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In this "Rapid Recap" feature, we touch on some quick-hitters from the UK victory..
KEY MOMENT:
Leading 59-57 with just under six minutes to play, Kentucky's Jacob Toppin hit the front end of two free throws but missed the second. The Cats' Cason Wallace, however, was able to grab the offensive rebound and got the ball to an open Antonio Reeves on the wing for a 3-point shot that gave UK a four-point trip and the breathing room it needed to hold off the Aggies down the stretch.
GAME BALL:
Antonio Reeves, Kentucky -- The senior transfer wing lived up to his reputation as being one of the nation's most dangerous scorers last season, racking up 23 points in 28 minutes off the bench. His five 3-pointers were key, but he also hit a couple of runners down the stretch that proved to be decisive buckets for the Cats.
BY THE NUMBERS:
1st - Time in Rupp Arena era (1976-present) that Kentucky has trailed three straight SEC opponents at halftime.
10 & 11 - Ties and lead changes on the day.
13-4 - Kentucky's lead in the all-time series with the Aggies, including four straight wins.
16 of 16 - Texas A&M at the free-throw line. The last time a UK opponent was perfect at the stripe on at least 16 attempts was Arkansas on Feb. 27, 2014.
32 - Three-point attempts were the most by UK since launching 33 against Chattanooga on Dec. 17, 2011.
39-30 - Kentucky's advantage on the glass, including a 23-10 edge in the second half.
QUOTABLE:
"My 3 ball was going in, my teammates were looking for me down stretch, and a couple shots went in for me. It felt great.I feel like I was working hard. It feels like it just paid off as soon as I got in the game.” -- UK guard Antonio Reeves
UP NEXT:
Kentucky returns to action Tuesday night at Vanderbilt in a 9 p.m. ET tipoff against the Commodores. Vandy (10-9, 3-3 SEC) defeated Georgia 85-82 today in Athens, Ga. The Cats and Commodores are slated for the SEC Network.
