In a highly-anticipated matchup, the Kentucky Wildcats are set to take on the Saint Joseph’s Hawks at Rupp Arena on Monday night. This game will mark the final matchup of the Wildcat Challenge presented by Kentucky Tourism.
The Wildcats enter this contest on a high note after a dominant performance against Stonehill, where they cruised to a 101-67 victory. A standout player for Kentucky in that game was freshman sensation Reed Sheppard. The London native was on fire, making nine out of ten shots from the field, including an impressive seven out of eight from beyond the arc. Sheppard finished the game with a game-high 25 points, along with seven assists, three steals, three rebounds, and two blocked shots.
Throughout the season, Sheppard has been consistently impressive, shooting an impressive 69.2 percent from the field and 70.6 percent from three-point range. He currently ranks third on the team, averaging 13.3 points per game.
Kentucky’s success is not solely reliant on one player, as they have a well-rounded scoring attack. Antonio Reeves leads the team in scoring with an average of 17.8 points per game, followed closely by freshman guard Rob Dillingham with 16.8 points per game. In addition to Sheppard, Tre Mitchell contributes 12.5 points per game and is a force on the boards, averaging 6.8 rebounds per game.
The Wildcats also have three more players who average nine points or better per game. Justin Edwards, D.J. Wagner, and Adou Thiero round out the list, with Thiero leading the team in rebounding with an impressive 8.3 boards per game.
On the other side of the court, the Saint Joseph’s Hawks come into this game with a 3-1 record. They started the season strong, with victories over Lafayette, Penn, and Stonehill. However, they faced their first loss of the season on Friday, narrowly falling to Texas A&M-Commerce by a score of 57-54.
Leading the charge for the Hawks is Erik Reynolds, who is averaging 14.3 points per game. Lynn Greer is another player to watch out for, averaging 12 points per game and leading the team with 20 assists.
This matchup promises to be an exciting one, with both teams bringing their A-game. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET and will be broadcasted on the SEC Network. Basketball fans won’t want to miss this thrilling showdown between the Wildcats and the Hawks.
More must-reads: