< Previous10 @KentuckyMBBYou can enjoy FREE * grocery delivery, 2X Fuel Points and more for as low as $59/year. *$35 order minimum. Restrictions apply. Subject to availability. Delivery time not guaranteed. Official Grocery Partner of UK AthleticsWEEKNIGHTS 7:30 p.m. SATURDAY 9:00 a.m.From Press Row Champions Classic Notes Kentucky dropped an 86-77 double-over- time game to Michigan State on Tuesday in the annual Champions Classic. • Cason Wallace tied the UK single-game record with eight steals in the contest. Ash- ton Hagans (vs. North Carolina on Dec. 22, 2018), Rajon Rondo (vs. Mississippi State on Feb. 19, 2005) and Wayne Turner (vs. George Washington on Nov. 24, 1997) are the others to turn the trick • Oscar Tshiebwe made his season debut and played 34 minutes in his first action of the season. Tshiebwe had a team-high 22 points and a game-high 18 rebounds • In two games in the event (including last year vs. Duke), Tshiebwe averaged 19.5 points and 19.0 rebounds per game • The loss marked the first double-over- time loss for the Wildcats since losing to Michigan State in the 2005 NCAA Tourna- ment Wildcats Ink Five for 2023 Kentucky men’s basketball head coach John Calipari announced the signing of five standout student-athletes to the program’s 2023 signing class on Nov. 14. Aaron Brad- shaw, Robert Dillingham, Justin Edwards, Reed Sheppard and D.J. Wagner each inked national letters of intent with UK during the fall signing period. In every season but one of the Calipari era, the Wildcats have signed a top-three recruiting class according to the Recruiting Services Consensus Index, which tallies major recruiting rankings and plugs them into a formula to calculate a consensus ranking. With the additions, Kentucky has signed 72 top-50 recruits, 57 top-25 play- ers and 33 top-10 players (according to Rivals) in what will now be Calipari's 15 recruiting classes at Kentucky. • Aaron Bradshaw (Roselle, N.J.): For- ward | 7-0, 210 pounds | No. 4 overall by 247Sports, No. 5 by ESPN and No. 8 by Rivals | Averaged 8.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game as a junior while helping Camden to the NJSIAA Group 2 state championship | Played for NJ Scholars on the EYBL circuit last summer, averaging 12.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.0 blocks |Tallied three double-doubles during Peach Jam in July • Robert Dillingham (Hickory, N.C.): Guard | 6-2, 160 pounds | No. 6 overall by Rivals, No. 8 by ESPN and No. 13 by 247Sports | Averaged 21.2 points, 4.9 re- bounds and 2.1 steals per game as a soph- omore at Combine Academy, leading the team to a 29-3 record and a non-associ- ation state title | Joined Overtime Elite in November | Charlotte Observer High School Basketball Player of the Year in 2020-21 | 2021 FIBA Americas U16 Championship MVP, averaging 15.7 points and 6.2 assists in more than 20 min- utes per game • Justin Edwards (Philadelphia): Guard | 6-8, 190 pounds | No. 2 overall by Rivals and ESPN and No. 3 by 247Sports | Led Imhotep Charter to the Class 5A state title as a junior last season, averaging 18.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game | Helped Team Final advance to Peach Jam quarterfinals after shooting 39.5% from deep while averaging 15.3 points and 7.0 re- bounds per game • Reed Sheppard (London, Ky.): Guard | 6-3, 180 pounds | No. 22 overall by Rivals, No. 26 by ESPN and No. 44 by 247Sports | Led North Laurel to the state Sweet 16, av- eraging 25.2 points, 7.6 assists, 6.8 re- bounds and 4.4 steals per game as a junior | 2022 Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year | Both parents, Jeff and Stacey, played basketball at Kentucky | Jeff was a member of 1996 and 1998 national championship teams, earning Final Four MVP in 1998, while Stacey still sits as the Wildcats’ No. 14 all-time scorer • D.J. Wagner (Camden, N.J.): Guard | 6-3, 175 pounds | No. 1 overall by ESPN, No. 2 by 247Sports and No. 3 by Rivals | Averaged 19.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.1 steals per contest as a ju- nior, helping Camden to the NJSIAA Group 2 state championship | Named 2021 and 2022 New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year | Son of former Memphis and NBA guard Dajuan Wagner and grandson of for- mer Louisville and professional guard Milt Wagner Wildcats Picked to Win SEC The Kentucky men’s basketball team, un- der the direction of 14th-year head coach John Calipari, was picked by the league’s media to win the 2023 Southeastern Con- ference title. In addition to the preseason poll, senior Oscar Tshiebwe was tabbed the preseason SEC Player of the Year. Tshiebwe was joined on the preseason All-SEC First Team by fellow senior Sahvir Wheeler for both the media's selections as well as the league's coaches. • UK has won the regular-season title 49 times in the history of the program • Kentucky has captured the SEC Tourna- ment crown 31 times • It’s the 17th time since the 1998-99 season the Wildcats are the SEC preseason favorite • Calipari has directed his teams to regu- lar-season SEC crowns in 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2020 • Kentucky has claimed the SEC Tournament title six times KENTUCKY 14 @KentuckyMBBMOP IT LIKE IT ' S HOTMOP IT LIKE IT ' S HOTInside The Numbers KENTUCKY 18 @KentuckyMBB SOUTH CAROLINA STATE (0-3) AT KENTUCKY (2-1) Series Breakdown Overall - UK - 1-0 at Lexington - 0-0 Calipari vs. SCSU - 0-0 Martin vs. UK - 0-0 Current UK streak - W1 John Calipari Erik Martin Overall Record: 812-242* Overall Record: 0-3 Record at UK: 367-102 Record at SCSU: 0-3 Overall Seasons: 31st Overall Seasons: 1st at Kentucky: 14th at SCSU: 1st * on court record UK Statistic SCSU 83.0 Points Per Game 69.7 42.0 Rebounds PG 37.3 19.7 Assists PG 11.7 8.0 Blocks PG 3.3 10.3 Steals PG 6.0 13.3 Turnovers PG 12.0 .461 FG Pct. .395 .426 3-Pt. FG Pct. .328 .627 FT. Pct. .548 1.5 Assist-to-TO Ratio 1.0 THE MATCHUPTALE OF THE TAPE • Extend UK's win streak at Rupp Arena to 22 games, the longest active home win streak in the SEC • Keep Kentucky undefeated at 7-0 against the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference • Improve John Calipari's record to 209-17 in Rupp Arena • Mark Kentucky's 300th win against unranked foes under Calipari A UK WIN WOULD... 49 SEC regular-season titles in program history 31 SEC Tournament championships 21 Straight home victories in Rupp Arena 17 Straight Tshiebwe double-doubles BY THE NUMBERSNext >