Kentucky Freshman Guards Aren’t Playing Like Freshmen

Rob Dillingham was John Calipari's player of the game. (Vicky Graff Photo)

The numbers don’t lie — or do they.

D.J. Wagner, Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard are freshman guards and all had huge games in Friday’s record-setting 118-82 win over Marshall in Rupp Arena.

Just look at the numbers each player had:

— Wagner led the team with 28 points on 10-for-14 shooting, including 6-for-7 at the foul line, but also had five assists, three steals, one block and one rebound.

— Dillingham had 16 points on only eight shots but he made seven of them. He went 2-for-2 from 3-point range but also had eight assists, five rebounds and one steal.

— Sheppard got 12 points on only six shots and was 2-for-3 from 3. He also had seven rebounds and six assists, both team highs, and two assists.

That means the trio had 56 points on 21-for-28 shooting, including 6-for-10 from three, along with 19 assists, 12 rebounds and six steals. They played a combined 76 minutes with only four turnovers.

“The thing you like about these freshman guards is that they play like veterans and I don’t say that all the time about young guards,” former UK All-American Jack Givens said. “It’s amazing at the pace they play and how few turnovers and really high assists total that they have.

“Usually veteran teams play that way. These three freshman guards are the ones handling the ball most of the time, so you just have to give them a lot of credit.”

Kentucky coach John Calipari said his player of the game was Dillingham. The coach liked how he “defended” and had eight assists against only two turnovers.

“He played where he could have shot more but he just played basketball,” Calipari said. “He made everybody on the floor better. If guys are playing together that way it is easy.”

SEC Network analyst Pat Bradley called Sheppard a “defensive dynamo” but also said he’s “one of the best I have seen this year” advancing the ball up the court.

“I don’t know if I have seen a bad pass from him,” Bradley said. “He understands the release point and how to get his body where it needs to be to be able to make the post.

“But these guys are all willing passers. They know maybe they could get a bucket on their own but are willing to turn a good shot into a great shot by passing the ball.”

Bradly said the overall ball movement is as good as he’s seen in years at UK because of the three freshman guards.

“The decision making is there with the way they pass and even if they miss one of those passes advancing the ball it is still good because it pressures the defense,” Bradley said.

Wagner said it is fun playing with a group that can all shoot, pass and dribble.

“We are all competitors and all have confidence in each other. We are all in the gym so much together and see how good everybody is and how much ability we each have. Then if you play unselfish, it’s a lot easier to play the game,” Wagner said.

“We are like a family. Off the court we go out with each other most of the time. Off the court we play and joke around but on the court we are all business.”

Marshall’s Nate Martin was impressed how the Kentucky guards could get inside the paint so easily.

“They’re shooters outside, so you can’t help too much off of them. So when that happens, their guards have lanes to the rim,” Martin said. “They have quick guards.

“It’s crazy how they are freshmen. They’re quick. They’re good. They’ll be a solid team if they can keep getting in the paint like they did tonight.”