Five things you need to know from UK’s 86-46 season-opening win over New Mexico State
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Game day: No. 16 Kentucky 86, New Mexico State 46
Click below for more of the Herald-Leader’s and Kentucky.com’s coverage of Monday night’s men’s basketball season opener between Kentucky and New Mexico State in Rupp Arena.
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Five things you need to know from Kentucky’s 86-46 season-opening win over New Mexico State:
1. These Kentucky freshmen are fun. It is still very much to be determined, obviously, how Kentucky’s youthful roster will fare against experienced, high-level competition.
But one game into the regular season, it is clear that the UK first-year players are going to be a blast to watch.
Rob Dillingham had a team-high 17 points for UK, and fills Rupp Arena with anticipatory electricity when he gets the ball in open court. Not a one-trick player, the 6-foot-2, 176-pound guard also had five rebounds and three assists (for steals information, see below).
D.J. Wagner went for 13 points with four assists and only one turnover. One word of caution, the 6-4, 192-pound guard was only 1-of-5 on three-pointers and will probably get to take a lot of open jumpers until he proves to opponents he can make them.
Justin Edwards had 12 points and five rebounds and gives UK a slashing 6-8 wing — which will not be an easy matchup for most foes.
Reed Sheppard went about stat stuffing in his first official game in Kentucky blue and white, scoring 12 points with five rebounds, two assists and two blocks.
Don’t forget about Jordan Burks. Not as heralded as his five-star classmates, the 6-9, 202-pound forward has embraced a role as an “energy guy” off the bench and had seven points and three rebounds.
2. Pilfery is in style for UK. Most of the John Calipari-era Kentucky teams have not been built around defensive gambling. Instead, UK has tended to use defensive length to smother foes.
At least until one (or all) of UK’s three sidelined 7-footers gets back, the current Cats lack rim protection.
If the season opener was any indication, the Cats are going to compensate with thievery.
Kentucky forced 18 turnovers, 13 of which came off of UK steals.
DJ. Wagner led the pilfery with three steals, followed by Rob Dillingham, Justin Edwards, Antonio Reeves and Reed Sheppard with two each.
3. Sheppard does the home state proud. Reed Sheppard’s 12 points in 21 minutes is the seventh-best scoring performance in a UK season opener by a product of Kentucky high school basketball in the 21st century.
In descending order of points scored:
1. CJ Fredrick (Covington Catholic High School), 20 points, 2022-23, 95-63 over Howard;
2. Rajon Rondo (Eastern High School), 17 points, 2005-06, 71-54 over South Dakota State;
3. Derek Willis (Bullitt East), 15 points, 2016-17, 87-64 over Stephen F. Austin;
4. Derek Willis (Bullitt East), 14 points, 2015-16, 78-65 over Albany;
4. Marquis Estill (Madison Central), 14 points, 2002-03, 82-65 over Arizona State;
6. Antwain Barbour (Elizabethtown), 13 points, 2002-03, 82-65 over Arizona State.
7. Reed Sheppard (North Laurel), 12 points, 2023-24, 86-46 over New Mexico State.
4. The Cats in season openers. John Calipari is now 13-2 in season openers as UK head man (since 2009-10) and 15-0 in home openers.
Since Rupp Arena opened in 1976-77, Kentucky is 45-4 in home openers.
Overall, UK is 100-21 all-time in season openers.
Entering Monday night’s game, Kentucky is 220-21 in Rupp Arena during the John Calipari coaching era.
5. The long game. If you are already looking ahead to March Madness, the eight Kentucky teams that went on to win the NCAA championship all began their seasons with victories — and won by an average of 29.3 points.
Having won their first game by 40, the 2023-24 Cats are ahead of pace one game into the season.
This story was originally published November 6, 2023 at 10:06 PM.
