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Two stock risers from Kentucky basketballs win over New Mexico State

Here are two stock risers after Kentucky's big season-opening win.

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Kentucky Wildcats
Kentucky Wildcats
New Mexico State Aggies
New Mexico State Aggies

Kentucky basketball opened its season against the New Mexico State Aggies and was able to get the big 86-46 win. 

This was a big win for Kentucky as the line in this game was only 15.5 points in favor of the Cats, and they won by 40 points. 

Kentucky had five players in double figures, with four of them being freshmen, which tells us this truly is a John Calipari team of old.

Which two Kentucky players raised their stock in the win over the New Mexico State Aggies? 

Reed Sheppard

Oct 27, 2023; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Reed Sheppard (15) walks off the court after the game against the Georgetown Tigers at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

Reed Sheppard stole the show in his first Kentucky basketball game when he scored 12 points, pulled in five rebounds, dished out two assists, blocked two shots, and stole the ball twice. It's hard to think of a freshman who filled a stat sheet up like this in their college basketball debut, but Sheppard couldn't be stopped against New Mexico State. Coach Cal said in his post-game press conference that Sheppard has some of the best hands he has ever coached, which leads to the blocks and steals. Heading into the season, many people questioned the size of Sheppard's role on this team, but it has been made clear it will be enormous. 

Rob Dillingham

Oct 27, 2023; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Rob Dillingham (0) handles the ball during the second half against the Georgetown Tigers at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

Rob Dillingham was another one of the four freshmen scoring in double figures as he led the team with 17 points. Dillingham also had five rebounds, three assists, and two steals. He might be the best natural scorer on the team, and that's saying a lot since DJ Wagner and Antonio Reeves are both great scorers. If Dillingham continues to put up numbers like this, it will be hard to keep him out of the starting lineup for long. 

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