Antonio Reeves, Reed Sheppard Sweep SEC Weekly Awards
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky men’s basketball swept this week’s Southeastern Conference Awards as Antonio Reeves was selected as the league’s Player of the Week, while Reed Sheppard was tabbed Freshman of the Week, it was announced on Monday.
It marks the first sweep of the SEC weekly honors for Kentucky this season, a feat which comes after the Wildcats earned victories over both Vanderbilt and No. 4 Tennessee to secure the No. 2 seed in this week’s SEC Tournament.
Reeves led UK with 23.5 points per game in the team’s latest two victories, including a 27-point performance in a crucial road win over No. 4 Tennessee. Reeves has now scored 20 or more points in seven straight games, the longest streak for a UK player since Jamal Murray did so in 12 straight contests during the 2015-2016 season. With his latest efforts, Reeves is now averaging 20.2 points per game for the year, which would be the most ever in a single season under head coach John Calipari at Kentucky.
The 6-foot-6 guard has topped double figures in every game but one this season and has amassed 19 games with 20 or more points. Reeves also contributed 6.5 rebounds per game last week, sharing team honors with six rebounds vs. Vanderbilt, and leading the Cats with seven boards at Tennessee. The Chicago native tallied four assists to just one turnover in 71 minutes of action. He is the first Wildcat to be named SEC Player of the Week this season.
Sheppard joins his teammate as a weekly award winner, collecting his fourth SEC Freshman of the Week honor this season. Sheppard stuffed the stat sheet in the wins over both the Commodores and Volunteers, averaging 17.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists as Kentucky extended its win-streak to five games. The London, Kentucky native began the week by tying his career-high with 11 assists against Vanderbilt, before dropping 27 points, six assists and five rebounds in UK’s road-upset over Tennessee.
Sheppard now has three games this season with at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists, the first Kentucky player ever to do so. He went 9-15 from 3-point range for the week, including seven made triples at Tennessee, tied for the second most by a UK player in the Calipari era. Sheppard also becomes the first player under Calipari at Kentucky to have three, 25-point or more efforts off the bench in a single season.
Kentucky has had a record-breaking five Wildcats win SEC Freshman of the Week this season with Sheppard (four), DJ Wagner (three), Aaron Bradshaw, Rob Dillingham and Justin Edwards combining to win 10 of the 18 total awards this year. It is the most SEC Freshman of the Week awards for a single school in one season since Kentucky won 11 such honors during the 2014-15 season.
UK has dominated the weekly SEC awards with Calipari at the helm. UK has won more weekly honors (136) than any other school during the Calipari era, including 104 SEC Freshman of the Week awards and 32 SEC Player of the Week honors.
The Wildcats begin SEC Tournament play on Friday in the quarterfinal round, where they will meet the winner of Texas A&M and Ole Miss. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, with the action airing on SEC Network.
For the latest on the Kentucky men’s basketball team, follow @KentuckyMBB on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, and on the web at UKathletics.com.
