Takeaways: Reed Sheppard and Antonio Reeves carry Kentucky past Tennessee 85-81

What can we take away from Kentucky's 85-81 win over Tennessee?

The Kentucky Wildcats were able to take down Tennessee 85-81 despite a late comeback from the Volunteers. 

Tennessee star Dalton Knecht had a big game, but Kentucky was able to hold down the rest of the Volunteer's veterans and win the game. 

Thanks to this win over Tennessee, the Wildcats were able to lock up a double bye in the SEC Tournament and will play on Friday night in Nashville. 

What can we take away from Kentucky's win over Tennessee in Knoxville?

Reed Sheppard showed up

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Reed Sheppard had 27 points, going 9-14 from the field and a scorching 7-10 from deep. Growing up as a part of this rivalry, Sheppard did not want to get swept by Tennessee, and he made that clear with his play in Knoxville. Guard play wins in March, so if Sheppard can play like this in the NCAA Tournament, Kentucky will make a Final Four run. Sheppard is going to be a star in the NBA, thanks to his ability to shoot the three-ball and facilitate an offense. 

Justin Edwards was huge on the biggest stage

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Like Sheppard, Justin Edwards showed up in Kentucky's biggest game of the season. The freshman had 16 points, going 6-10 from the field. Edwards is very confident right now, which will help this Kentucky team in the NCAA Tournament. Edwards will work his way back into the first round of the NBA Draft if he can play like this in the tournament. 

Kentucky has to close out games better

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Kentucky was up by quite a bit late in the game, but multiple turnovers let Tennessee get back in the game. We see situations play out like this all the time in the NCAA Tournament. If Kentucky can't play better in the last few minutes of a game, they could get sent home early in the postseason. The key is taking care of the basketball. The Wildcats were able to leave with the win, but the way this team played in the final two minutes made the ball game closer than it should have been. 

This is a massive win for Kentucky, and this team is ready for the NCAA Tournament after taking down a team that is in contention for a #1 seed on their home floor.