Kentucky
Reed Sheppard, No. 16 Kentucky roll into matchup with Arkansas
Reed Sheppard’s scoring outputs were measly during a three-game stretch until No. 16 Kentucky traveled to Mississippi State.
Sheppard broke out of his slump with a career-best 32 points and made the tiebreaking basket with 0.5 seconds left on Tuesday night. Now he will ride a wave of confidence into Saturday’s Southeastern Conference game against Arkansas in Lexington, Ky.
Sheppard, a freshman guard, averaged just 6.3 points during the trio of games before the breakout performance in the 91-89 win over Mississippi State. He made 11 of 14 field-goal attempts, including four 3-pointers, and was stellar all-around with seven assists, five rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots.
The Wildcats (20-8, 10-5 SEC) had to recover from a 13-point, second-half deficit to knock off the Bulldogs. And it meant a great deal to Sheppard to be the one who knocked down the winning shot.
His parents, Jeff and Stacey, both played basketball at Kentucky. The former Stacey Reed played for the Kentucky women from 1991-95 and still ranked second in career steals (309) and sixth in career assists (442) entering this season.
Jeff Sheppard played on two national championship teams for Kentucky (1993-98) and is deeply beloved in the Bluegrass State after being named Most Outstanding Player of the 1998 Final Four.
“It was really cool,” Reed Sheppard said of making the decisive shot. “Growing up as a little kid, I always wanted to play at Kentucky. So, going out there and getting the game-winning shot for Kentucky was really special for me. This group of guys is really close on and off the court.”
Sheppard is third on the Wildcats in scoring at 12.5 points per game and leads the team in assists (4.3) and his tenacious defense has led him to compile an SEC-leading 76 steals.
“He plays to win,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said of Sheppard. “He’s not playing not to lose. He’s steady.”
Antonio Reeves ranks third in the SEC with a 19.9 scoring average. Backup Rob Dillingham is second on the Wildcats with a 14.8 average.
Arkansas (14-14, 5-10) is enduring a rough season but Khalif Battle recently emerged to put together the school’s best two-game scoring stretch in 51 years.
Battle has 78 points in the past two games — a career-best 42 against Missouri followed by 36 points in Tuesday’s 85-82 home loss to Vanderbilt. The last Arkansas player with a better two-game stretch was Martin Terry, who had 82 in 1973.
Battle tallied six rebounds, three assists and three steals in the loss to the Commodores. But he also had six turnovers.
“As bad as we were as a whole, including myself, we were one possession away,” Battle said. “That’s the part that’s the hardest. One more stop, one more shot, one more rebound.
“That’s the part that’s the hardest to cope with right now. It’s just tough.”
Battle implored his teammates not to let up. The Razorbacks’ only way into the NCAA Tournament is by winning the SEC tourney and they can only get there by raising their level of play.
“We’ve still got basketball left, still got the conference tournament,” Battle said. “The work does not stop. We’ve just got to keep on pushing.”
The splurge improved Battle’s scoring average to 12.7, second on the Razorbacks behind Tramon Mark (16.8).
Kentucky has won 10 of the past 13 meetings, including a 63-57 road triumph on Jan. 27. Reeves scored 24 points for the Wildcats.
–Field Level Media
Copyright 2024 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
13 things more likely to happen than winning the Powerball jackpot
Hoping to win the Powerball jackpot? Here are 13 things more likely to happen than becoming an instant millionaire.
The Kentucky Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Thursday, June 25, 2026 winning numbers for each game.
Cash Ball
02-08-24-32, Cash Ball: 09
Check Cash Ball payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 3
Evening: 6-3-0
Midday: 9-6-0
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 4
Evening: 5-7-6-0
Midday: 5-2-6-6
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Millionaire for Life
03-13-14-34-45, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Courier Journal digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.
On Thursday, Kentucky’s home and away SEC opponents for the 2026-27 season were revealed and on top of learning the three opponents who they will play twice, there are some very intriguing matchups. In conference play, Kentucky will face six teams who are among the top 25 in many preseason rankings.
In SEC play, Kentucky will play Tennessee, Vandy and Ole Miss all both home and away. The home matchups include Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Vandy. As for the road tilts, the Wildcats will face Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State, Missouri, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee and Vandy. Let’s take a look at some interesting developments from the schedule release.
John Calipari returns to Rupp Arena (again)
In Calipari’s first year with Arkansas, he got the best of Kentucky when he came into Rupp Arena and left with a 10-point victory, a game where you could really feel the tension all game long in the building from Kentucky fans, which translated onto the court with the players. Last season, it was Kentucky who shocked everyone when they stole one on the road against a top 20 Arkansas team after a rough up-and-down season up to that point. Now, the two will face off again as Kentucky will look to get the win in Rupp and make sure Calipari doesn’t get two in a row in the building. It’ll be another highly-anticipated showdown.
Kentucky hits the road at Texas
This is shaping up to be a major challenge for Kentucky next season and may even end up being one of the biggest games of the season. Texas is seen by many as a clear top 10 team, with some even having them within the top five and when you combine that with the fact that the game is on the road, the Wildcats will have their hands full. The Wildcats fell to the longhorns in the 2024-25 season, and it’ll be a much stiffer challenge this time.
Which game could be a trap?
We don’t have the game-by-game dates yet, so it’s hard to say with a lot of confidence, but opponent-wise, Georgia could really give Kentucky fits. In Pope’s first year, his team struggled handling the physicality of the Bulldogs and now, they’ve retained one of their best guards for another year and have added physicality through the portal. Mike White’s teams love to make opponents uncomfortable and they could do that once again down in Athens. Another sneaky team to watch is Oklahoma, who will have very good guard play. Kentucky will face both teams on the road.
Overall, it’s a pretty fair SEC schedule for a Kentucky team who has the capability of a return to being atop the conference once again. Mark Pope has such a system-fit squad and he can do some damage in the SEC.
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Fourth of July festivities to celebrate in Louisville
See the Fourth of July festivities planned in Louisville for America’s 250th birthday celebration.
Fourth of July is almost here, and Kentuckians are getting ready to light up the sky.
Before you plan your fireworks celebrations, it’s important to know what is and isn’t allowed under Kentucky law. Here’s what to know about fireworks laws and safety tips in the Bluegrass State ahead of Independence Day.
Can you set off fireworks in Kentucky?
Yes. As long as you live in a place where local ordinances don’t prohibit it, according to the Kentucky State Fire Marshal’s website.
Are fireworks legal in Louisville?
In Louisville or Jefferson County, larger display fireworks are not legal due to a local law. Some consumer products that don’t leave the ground, such as sparklers, are allowed.
If the cautionary label on the firework has the words “explosive,” “emits flaming pellets,” “flaming balls,” “firecracker,” “report” or “rocket,” it is automatically a no-go, according to the Louisville-Jefferson County Code of Ordinances.
But, smaller ones like sparklers, cylindrical or cone fountains, wheels and ground spinners are legal. Still, don’t let the size fool you − they can burn up to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
Learn more: Check out these 4th of July events taking place across Kentucky
How to use fireworks safely
The state fire marshal suggests following the following advice when using fireworks:
- Use fireworks outdoors.
- Obey local laws.
- Keep a bucket of water or a working water hose nearby.
- Use fireworks as intended and avoid altering them or combining them.
- Never relight “dud” fireworks. Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.
- Spectators should keep a safe distance from the person lighting the firework (the individual lighting it should wear safety glasses).
- Alcohol and fireworks do not mix. Have a “designated adult operator.”
- Do not use homemade fireworks or illegal explosives.
- Report illegal explosives to the fire or police department in your community.
- Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks.
- Read and follow all instructions on the label.
Former Courier Journal reporter Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez contributed. Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.
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