It started with John Calipari saying he wanted to choke Reed Sheppard for tossing up a free ball with 20 seconds to go, leading to free throws and a one-point game after going up as many as six just 15 seconds earlier.
Then he credited the freshman guard’s resolve to follow up with a game-winner — along with helping put Kentucky in position to pull off the comeback in the first place.
Sheppard went for a career-high 32 points while Antonio Reeves added 21, followed by Adou Thiero with 11, DJ Wagner with 10 and Rob Dillingham with nine. Calipari talked about it all and more inside Humphrey Coliseum after the win.
“To walk out of here, that is not a first- or second-round game. You see that in the third round. That’s who you’re playing, they’re that good. They’re in the 20s in the NET, they beat Tennessee here and beat Auburn here. This was a big-time win. We’re going to celebrate this one. To beat these guys and how they’re playing right now, big-time.”
Take a look at his complete presser below:
