NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Kentucky will have to wait another year to win a SEC Tournament Championship after falling to Texas A&M 97-87 in the quarterfinal round.
The Aggies started strong in the games first minute and forty-five seconds. Manny Obaseki hit a three followed up by another from Wade Taylor, who then drove for a lay-up. And Texas A&M had an 8-1 lead.
Kentucky found the right rotation to make a run. With Sheppard, Dillingham, Reeves, Mitchell and Ivisic the Wildcats held the Aggies scoreless for more than two minutes. A 6-0 scoring run was capped off by an inside, left-handed shot from Tre Mitchell to give the Wildcats their first lead at 16-15.
The Aggies grabbed the lead right back on a Solomon Washington three pointer and they were able to hold off the Wildcats runs at getting the lead back. They were able to extend the ten when Washington converted a three on one fast break lay-up. 37-27 Texas A&M had the lead.
Kentucky once again went on a run to cut into the lead with a Ugonna Onyenso dunk, Sheppard three and Rob Dillingham lay-up to cut the deficit to 37-34. But again, the Aggies pushed the lead back out winning 50-50 balls and hitting timely shots as the shot clocked expired to make it 45-36 with 2:59 to go in the first.
As much as UK tried to battle back in this one, Texas A&M took the lead into the half 48-42.
In the second half, it was much of the same for the first eleven minutes. Big shots by the Aggies and the Wildcats went cold and couldn't score for three and a-half minutes. The Wildcats were down 12 when Taylor hit a three with just under 10 to play. Then when Jace Carter hit a three, the Cats were down 78-64 with 7:07 to play.
Kentucky was able to cut it to six with 3:46 to go on a couple of Antonio Reeves free throws. The Aggies lead was down to 84-78. But just like that Tyrece Radford scored on a lay-up as he was fouled to make it 86-78 A&M. The Aggies closed it out for the win.
Kentucky shot better than Texas A&M but the Aggies won the turnover battle 14-6, the Cats only had 14 fast break points and many of those came late and A&M had more steals at 9-4.
Dillingham led the way with 27 points while Sheppard had 14 and Reeves added 13.
The Wildcats fall to 23-and-9 on the season and now await where they will start the NCAA Tournament. The selections will be made Sunday.
