Balanced Cats Cruise Past Commodores in Nashville
On Tuesday night at Vanderbilt, Kentucky had one of its most balanced offensive efforts of the season so far. Five Cats scored in double figures as UK beat Vandy for the 14th consecutive time, 69-53, inside venerable Memorial Gymnasium. The last time the Cats had five players score in double figures was in the Dec. 3 win over Michigan in London. Tuesday’s game was the third such game this season. Antonio Reeves led the Cats with 16 points, while Oscar Tshiebwe had 15 points and 13 rebounds. Jacob Toppin had his fourth double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while CJ Fredrick and Cason Wallace each had 10 points for UK. Reeves scored in double figures for the sixth consecutive game. In four of those six, he has scored at least 16 points. The five players in double figures were also very efficient in Tuesday’s win. The quintet combined to shoot 28 of 47 from the field (59.6 percent) including six of 15 (40 percent) from behind the arc. Kentucky (14-6, 5-3 SEC) was also stingy on the defensive end in this game. The Cats held Vanderbilt to 18 of 55 (32.7 percent) from the floor as the ‘Dores scored their fewest points since they were held to 48 against Southern Miss in the second game of the season (Nov. 11). Vanderbilt (10-10, 3-4) was led by Malik Dia, who scored 14 points. Kentucky made just one of two at the free throw line. That marks the fewest free throws made and attempted by a Calipari-coached Kentucky team.
Four Signees Selected to McDonald’s All American Game
The Kentucky men’s basketball team’s signee class will once again be well represented on the 2023 McDonald’s All American Game roster. Signees Aaron Bradshaw, Justin Edwards, Reed Sheppard and DJ Wagner are the latest “burger boys” who were selected to the annual roster. Kentucky’s four selections are more than any other program. This is the 46th season rosters for the McDonald’s All American game have been picked. The game will take place on March 28 at the Toyota Center in Houston. With the latest selections, UK has signed 44 McDonald’s All Americans out of high school during the John Calipari era, more than any other school in the country during that time period. Multiple players from each of Calipari’s signing classes have been tabbed McDonald’s All Americans, including six in 2013 and five in 2017. Kentucky has signed 76 McDonald’s All Americans since the game began in 1977, including current Wildcats Daimion Collins (2021), Chris Livingston (2022) and Cason Wallace (2022).
Cardinals Begin Road Swing at Boston College on Wednesday
Louisville men’s basketball begins a two-game road swing this week at Boston College at 9 p.m. ET Wednesday. The game will air on ACC Network. The Cardinals lost their eighth straight game last week with a 75-54 loss to Pitt. Boston College snapped a four-game slide Saturday with an 84-72 victory at Notre Dame. Louisville is 10-4 all-time against Boston College, including 4-2 on the road. The Cardinals have won nine of the last 10 meetings in the series and three straight.
Photo Finish – Racers Go To The Wire Against Southern Illinois
The Murray State Racers dropped a 68-64 defeat to the Southern Illinois Salukis Tuesday night at the Banterra Center in Carbondale, Ill., in front of 6,507. The Racers (11-10) fell to 6-5 in the Missouri Valley Conference as they come home Saturday to host the Missouri State Bears at 1 p.m. in Murray. Saturday’s game is sure to be a fan favorite on Ja Morant Poster Day. Rob Perry collected his first double-double for MSU with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Brian Moore, Jr., added 19 points and Jamari Smith scored 15 points.
>>College Basketball Roundup
(Undated) — Number-4 Tennessee is coming off a big win over LSU. The Vols are 16-and-3 and will host Georgia tonight. Memphis took down Cincinnati in its last game. The Tigers are 15-and-5 and will host SMU tomorrow night.