Reed Sheppard scores 25 to lead No. 17 Kentucky in 101-67 rout of Stonehill

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- — Freshman Reed Sheppard scored 25 points to lead No. 17 Kentucky to a 101-67 win over Stonehill on Friday night.

Sheppard added seven assists and three steals to lead four players in double figures. Kentucky (3-1) made 17 3-pointers, including 10 in the first half. Sheppard led the team with seven.

“We've got guys here that got a green light because they’re really skilled,” said Kentucky coach John Calipari.

Rob Dillingham, also a freshman, scored 20 points for Kentucky, and Antonio Reeves and Tre Mitchell added 15 each.

“Reed was tremendous," Calipari said. “So was Rob (Dillingham).”

Sheppard took advantage of open situations against Stonehill's zone defense and credited his teammates for their hand in his career-best outing.

“I've got to give a lot of the credit to my teammates,” Sheppard said. “They were able to break down the zone and get me open shots. I was able to knock them down. So it’s a super fun game and good shots are falling to us.”

Coming off an 89-84 loss to No. 1 Kansas in the Champions Classic, the Wildcats showed no signs of a letdown and put the game beyond reach after the Skyhawks scored the first five points.

“That game in Chicago, the enormity of the game and then not get in until 4 a.m. in the morning and then bounce back and have to play this kind of game when they’re playing the zone and they’re not going to stop playing — I was really proud of the guys," Calipari said.

Trailing 10-5 three minutes into the contest, the Wildcats responded with a 25-5 run.

Kentucky scored a season-high 58 points in the opening half.

“I’m loving coaching these guys. I walk in the gym every day, I know they want to be coached,” Calipari said.

Max Zegarowski and Tony Felder led Stonehill (1-4) with 15 points each, followed by Jackson Benigni with 11.

BIG PICTURE

Stonehill: The Skyhawks have played four of their first five games in the road and surrendered more than 100 points in three straight losses to No. 5 Connecticut (107-67), Saint Joseph’s (100-56) and Kentucky. The contest against the Wildcats was the program’s first against a Southeastern Conference foe.

“The last two weeks have been a learning experience for us,” Stonehill coach Chris Kraus said. “We're still trying to figure out who we are.”

Kentucky: The Wildcats began a four-game homestand. Kentucky is poised to make a jump in the Top 25 following the loss to Kansas in the Champions Classic on Tuesday night. Kentucky has proven to be a threat behind the arc and has made 39 3-pointers in the past two games.

UP NEXT

Stonehill: Visit Texas A&M Commerce on Monday.

Kentucky: Host Saint Joseph’s on Monday.

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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball