Recap And Takeaways From Kentucky’s Loss To Kansas In Champions Classic

Kentucky got their first big test on Tuesday night, facing the No. 1 team in the country, Kansas. Kentucky showed a lot of fight and impressed by playing a close game until the final seconds, falling 89-84 in a high scoring game. Kentucky was up by as much as 14, but Kansas went on a run, and stuck around from then on.

Kentucky had four players in double-figures: Antonio Reeves (24 points), Rob Dillingham (18) points), Adou Thiero (16 points), and Reed Sheppard (13 points). Outside of those four, the contributions didn’t jump off the stat sheet. DJ Wagner and Justin Edwards had a rough night, struggling to get into rhythm.

Let’s dive in to the takeaways after the close loss. There is a lot of positive takeaways, though.

Adou Thiero Helps Fill Front Court Void

With Kentucky’s three bigs currently out, Tre Mitchell needed his teammates to step up and help him out down low. Adou Thiero was up for that challenge, the ultimate glue guy. He finished with 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 1 assist.

His double-double on Tuesday night made him the first Kentucky player this season to have a double-double, while also notching a career-high in points and rebounds.

Solid Bench Contribution Again

One player who was one of the best on the floor for Kentucky on Tuesday night, Rob Dillingham showed what he’s made of on a big stage. Making big plays after big plays, he was on fire during the first half, scoring 16 points in the half.

Dillingham only played 6 minutes in the second half, leading many to question the decision to limit him in the half. Nonetheless, he finished with 18 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists, fouling out in the final few minutes of the game.

Another player who had a solid game off the bench was once again Reed Sheppard, who is emerging as an instant impact player. He can come in and give you energy on defense and give you a spark when needed, but tonight he provided much needed buckets on offense too. Sheppard finished with 13 points and 1 assist.

Justin Edwards And DJ Wagner Struggle

Despite other players having solid nights, DJ Wagner and Justin Edwards could not find their rhythm. Wagner finished with 4 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist, while going 1-12 from the field. Edwards had 1 point, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists, shooting 0-6 from the field.

Both had very rough nights, but their teammates stepped up and took Kansas to the wire, and as a pair of Kentucky’s top freshman, their performances are not worrisome.

There is a lot to like about this Kentucky team after a great performance against the best team in the country, but they just weren’t able to finish the game strong.

Kentucky returns to action at Rupp Arena on Friday night against Stonehill.

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