Tag: Kentucky basketball

Reed Sheppard’s clunker in March Madness shouldn’t impact his NBA draft stock at all

Reed Sheppard is the exact same player right now that he was last week.

There is no other way to put it: Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard simply did not perform well when his team was upset by Oakland in March Madness.

Even though fans perhaps shouldn’t have been so surprised by the win, the poor performance from Sheppard was a bit more shocking. He ended with just 3 points (1-of-5 FG) and a couple turnovers in 26 minutes. It was likely his worst game played in college.

Kentucky head coach John Calipari had no match for the zone defense that Oakland played against his backcourt. It stopped Sheppard and his teammate Rob Dillingham from ever getting much momentum.

Obviously, that was a pretty lousy showing in an elimination game from a prospect who was recently projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. But even if that prediction was a bit ambitious and aggressive, this was hardly a game that should make teams reconsider their evaluation of Sheppard.

 

The reality is that evaluators have far more data points to look at than just one match when it comes to the standout Kentucky freshman.  While that was perhaps the first time that many fans caught of glimpse his game, he is someone that NBA teams have studied for a much larger sample size.

Sheppard averaged 15.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 3.1 steals per 36 minutes as a freshman. He shot 53.6 percent from the field, 52.1 percent on 3-pointers and 83.1 percent from the free-throw line. His versatility and productivity are undeniable.

Among all freshmen listed at 6-foot-5 or shorter since 2008, per Bart Torik, here are the only players to perform better in the catch-all metric box plus-minus: James Harden and D’Angelo Russell.

When playing in a set offense, Sheppard was still one of the most efficient players in all of college basketball. His catch-and-shoot jumper makes him an elite threat when playing off the ball and he also manages ways to fill the stat sheet in other meaningful ways as well.

Sheppard probably doesn’t have the size or the athletic burst to make a real case as one of the first few names called in the 2024 NBA Draft. But he can shoot from NBA distance as well as any prospect in the nation.

Perhaps a team is more weary about selecting Sheppard with one of the first few picks in this class. But especially in a draft full of uncertainty, virtually every prospect will have some negative traits in their scouting report.

If he decides to declare for the 2024 NBA Draft and remain in, which he likely will and should, the trajectory looks about the same for Sheppard as it did before the dud against Oakland. Remember: This is the same player who was torching Tennessee for 27 points earlier this month.

He generally fared well against top opponents and while March Madness didn’t go well, his resumé is still strong enough to earn lottery consideration.

So long as he does well in the pre-draft process and impresses during interviews and workouts and measurements, Sheppard’s draft stock should look exactly the same as it did last week. Now, he has added motivation and a chip on his shoulder.

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Here’s how much Kentucky would owe John Calipari if it wants to hire a new coach

Kentucky might not be able to afford firing John Calipari after its March Madness loss to Oakland.

If you’re a Kentucky fan and you’re hoping to move on from the John Calipari era of Wildcats basketball, you might want to sit down.

After another underwhelming March Madness appearance with a loss to 14 seed Oakland, Calipari is now firmly on the hot seat after 15 seasons leading one of the most prominent programs in college basketball.

Calipari hasn’t taken Kentucky past the Elite Eight since the 2015 men’s NCAA tournament and has lost twice in the first round in the last three tournaments, including 2021’s loss to 15 seed St. Peter’s.

However, thanks to the 10-year contract that Kentucky gave Calipari back in 2019, the school would reportedly owe Calipari $34,968,749 to buy out his contract through a firing without cause, per The Courier Journal.

That is a lot of money to fire a coach, which is probably why Kentucky will ultimately stomach yet another March Madness misfire and keep Calipari on for the 2024-25 season.

Losing to Oakland stings, but firing your coach and paying more than $34 million to do so stings even more.

Correction: This post originally referenced a report that Calipari’s buyout is $33.3 million.

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Jack Gohlke made a defiant Cinderella statement after Oakland’s upset of Kentucky

Jack Gohlke doesn’t think Oakland is a Cinderella team in the slightest.

After obliterating Kentucky from the arc, sensational Oakland guard Jack Gohlke told the country that he doesn’t think his Golden Grizzlies are a Cinderella team in the slightest.

The Horizon League champions stunned three-seeded Kentucky on Thursday in an 80-76 upset victory in the opening round of the 2024 men’s NCAA tournament.

The Golden Grizzlies were led by Gohlke’s 32 points. The sharpshooter scored 30 of those points from 3-pointers, making his March Madness debut all the more staggering.

In a postgame interview, Gohlke pushed against the idea that Oakland is a Cinderella team, doubling down on the notion that the 14 seed deserves to be looked at in the same light as a traditional powerhouse like Kentucky.

After Thursday’s mind-blowing performance, we’re inclined to agree.

Now that’s the kind of major statement that makes a team like Oakland a fan favorite in the tournament, as the Golden Grizzlies will now head to the Round of 32 as Kentucky heads home with yet another shocking tournament loss.

After that game, it’s Gohlke and Oakland’s world, and we’re just happily living in it.

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Who is Jack Gohlke? Meet Oakland basketball’s March Madness star who shrugged off first-half dominance

Meet Jack Gohlke, the Oakland sensation who hit some stellar 3-pointers against Kentucky.

During Thursday night’s opening round of 2024 March Madness, a new mid-major hero arrived. His name was Jack Gohlke.

The Oakland sixth-year graduate guard put on a show in the first half of his team’s game against Kentucky, scoring a game-high 21 points and hitting seven 3-point buckets as his Golden Grizzlies led the Wildcats 38-35 at half.

The Pewaukee, Wisconsin, native transferred to Oakland this season after spending time at D-II program Hillsdale College and has made a huge impact on his new team.

Gohlke has been one of the best 3-point shooters in the nation this season along with his teammate Blake Lampman.

Ahead of Thursday’s game, Gohlke told Kentucky Sports Radio that he felt confident he could carry his sharpshooting over into the tournament.

“If I caught it at half-court and I was open, I feel like I could put it up,” Gohlke said ahead of the matchup. “I have faith in my teammates and I’m going to get them the ball, as well, but I think they know I’ll put it up from anywhere. Coach (Greg) Kampe and my teammates, they give me the ultimate confidence and ultimate green light. I just go out there and play free.”

At least from the first half, it looks like Gohlke wasn’t kidding. He took full advantage of his “One Shining Moment.”

He had such a dominant first half, all he could do was shrug it off.

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Best Photos: Texas A&M’s 97-87 win over Kentucky – SEC Tournament – Quarterfinals

Photos: Here are some of the best photos from Thursday’s game against Kentucky.

On Friday night, Texas A&M (20-13) laid the hammer down against the Kentucky Wildcats (23-9) in the SEC Tournament Quarterfinals, defeating the blue-blood program 97-87 to move on to the Semifinals.

The Aggies are trying to leave no doubt for the selection committee with a very impressive win over a Top 10 team and sweeping the Wildcats in the two games played between the teams. Wade Taylor had one of his better games in the last few weeks looking every bit like the pre-season SEC Player of the Year.

Taylor and Tyrece Radford combined for a dominant 55 points with Taylor going for a Texas A&M SEC Tournament record 32 points. Head coach Buzz Williams has his squad playing at a high level with an opportunity to make the SEC Championship game for the third consecutive year if they get past Florida on Saturday afternoon.

The Aggies will play Florida in a Semifinal matchup at 2:30 p.m. CT. on Saturday afternoon.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.

 

Post game recap: Texas A&M dominates Kentucky in the SEC Tournament Quarterfinals behind Wade Taylor IV’s 32 points

Texas A&M continues to its hots streak in the SEC Tournament, defeating Kentucky 97-87 behind Wade Taylor’s 32 points.

On Friday night, Texas A&M (20-13) laid the hammer down against the Kentucky Wildcats (23-9) in the SEC Tournament Quarterfinals, defeating the blue-blood program 97-87 behind Wade Taylor IV and Tyrece Radford’s 55 combined points.

In a game where the Aggies knew they were still firmly sitting on the NCAA Tournament bubble, head coach Buzz Williams, combined with every Aggies fan known to man, knew that to keep pace with the elite shooting Wildcats, littered with blue-chip talent, A&M’s guard trio of Wade Taylor IV, Tyrece Radford, and Manny Obaseki needed to be borderline elite from the field themselves.

Well, in the first half, that was surprisingly the case, as Taylor, coming off of his 20-point outing vs. Ole Miss in the second round of the SEC tourney on Thursday, was feeling it, scoring a game-high 18 points, including four 3-pointers, A&M shot 50% from deep as Radford delivered 12 first-half points of his own,

Needing players outside of the guard trio to step up, sophomore forward Solomon Washington continued his excellent play from the field. He also contributed from 3-point range (2-3), netting six rebounds and nine points going into halftime. However, despite capitalizing off Kentucky’s mistake, the Wildcats still shot 48% from the field while matching A&M’s 9 assists.

Second Half:

Holding onto a six-point lead, the Aggies completely shifted their offensive flow, slowing the game down to curb the Wildcats’ tempo while attacking the basket at will. Tyrece Radford drove the paint left and right, and Kentucky’s defense failed to defend near the basket.

Kentucky continued to keep the game relatively close, as both teams traded baskets for the first eight or so minutes, building a 67-59 lead behind 21 second-chance points, as the Aggies continued to attack the paint at will. As the lead widened even further, Wade Taylor’s record-setting tournament performance reached its apex, as the junior hit two more wide-open 3-pointers due to the Wildcats’ choice to use zone defense late.

Outside of a couple of short momentum bursts from the boys in blue, A&M, who reached the bonus with more than five minutes remaining, broke nearly every inbound pressure look with Tyrece Radford containing to expose Kentucky’s lack of defensive urgency. Hitting 22-30 from the charity stripe, the Aggies salted the game away as efficiently as head coach Buzz Williams could have hoped, ending Kentucky’s seven-game winning straight while adding to what is now a five-game winning streak for the Maroon & White.

With the win, Texas A&M’s NCAA Tournament hopes look solidified on paper, though nothing is set in stone until Selection Sunday.

Below are the Aggies critical contributors from the game:

Tyrece Radford:  23 points / 7 rebounds

Manny Obaseki:  17 points

Wade Taylor IV:  32 points (SEC Tournament record), 6-14 from 3-point range

Kentucky contributors

Rob Dillingham: 27 points, 5-10 from 3-point range

The Aggies will now play the winner of Alabama vs. Florida in a Semifinal matchup at 2:30 p.m. CT. on Saturday afternoon.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Drake recreated his infamous Kentucky locker room photo during tour stop at Rupp Arena

It’s really been 10 years since this happened

The year was 2014. Guardians of the Galaxy was dominating the box office, season three of Scandal was about to drop and Drake was pretending to be a college basketball player.

You know what I’m talking about. The rapper showed up to Kentucky’s Big Blue Madness event to kickoff the upcoming season and really tried to act like just one of the 18-22 year olds on the roster.

It was weird! He stuck out completely. Then he embarrassed himself further with an airball during warmups before the scrimmage. Well, a decade later, Drake was back in Lexington for a show at Rupp Arena on Sunday and he couldn’t help but poke a bit of fun at himself.

https://www.instagram.com/champagnepapi/p/C4XwGzEuGFV/?hl=en

It’s worth remembering how absolutely stacked that 2014-15 Kentucky team was. We joked at the time about head coach John Calipari platooning his players, but with names like Devin Booker, Tyler Ulis, Karl-Anthony Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein, Trey Lyles, Alex Poythress and the Harrison twins, Kentucky’s practices may have been more difficult than some of their opponents that year.

But the larger point here is this: the last time Drake took a photo sitting in the Wildcats’ clubhouse like that, Kentucky made a run to the Final Four where a then 38-0 team was upset by Wisconsin.

The 2023-24 Wildcats finished fourth in the SEC with a 23-8 record (13-5 SEC) and can use all the help they can get heading into the NCAA tournament.

Maybe, just this one time, the Drake Curse might actually be a good thing for Kentucky.

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PHOTO GALLERY: Top images from Alabama’s road loss to Kentucky

A loss to Kentucky shouldn’t hurt the Tide too much as the regular season comes to a close. Check out the top images from the matchup.

Alabama basketball has been playing very well as the 2023-2024 college basketball regular season nears its end, but the Tide could not get it done on the road against a strong Kentucky team. The Crimson Tide fell to the Wildcats 117-95.

In a battle between two top-three scoring offenses in the nation, it was Kentucky who was able to consistently make shots throughout the duration of the game. The Tide managed to put up 95, but it was not enough.

The SEC Tournament and NCAA ‘March Madness’ Tournament are just weeks away, but Alabama will have to get through a few more conference opponents before then. Up next for Nate Oats and his squad is a road game against Ole Miss.

Before looking ahead, check out the top images from Alabama’s most recent contest.

Everything Nate Oats said following Alabama’s 117-95 loss at Kentucky

Nate Oats doesn’t mince words when talking about Alabama’s defensive effort

The Alabama basketball team suffered an embarrassing road loss on Saturday at the hands of the Kentucky Wildcats, 117-95.

While the offense was most good, the Crimson Tide defense flat-out laid an egg allowing the Wildcats to shoot an incredible 63% from the field and 54% from the three-point line.

Alabama’s defense has been a question mark all season long and this may have been the low-point for the Tide. While Kentucky is an elite offensive team, the Tide did nothing to provide any resistance to the Wildcat offense.

Following the loss, head coach [autotag]Nate Oats[/autotag] met with the media. Below is everything he had to say:

LOOK: Fans react to Alabama’s blowout loss to Kentucky

Alabama basketball lost an ugly one to Kentucky on the road. Fans were quick to react on social media.

Alabama basketball has played well recently and has been looking to finish the regular season as strong as possible. For now, their only goal should be to bounce back after an ugly road loss to Kentucky.

The top-25 matchup took place at Kentucky and featured two top-three offenses in all of college basketball. Tonight, it was all Wildcats, as they won with a final score of 117-95.

Fans were quick to take to social media to share their reactions to the Kentucky performance and Alabama’s lack of a performance. They also weighed in on what tonight means for the program’s chances of making a deep run in March for the NCAA Tournament.