Sahvir Wheeler missed out on Kentucky’s season opener versus Howard on Monday night. On Friday night versus Duquesne, the All-SEC point guard returned and lost no time making his existence felt.
Wheeler and the Cats beat the Dukes 77-52 at Rupp Arena behind 18 points from senior guard Antonio Reeves. It was Wheeler who truly got Kentucky going early.
The senior point player got in the video game with the Felines holding a 7-5 benefit. He would play simply 5 minutes prior to he was winded and needed to come out, however the 5-9 Wheeler maximized his very first action of the season.
Because period, Wheeler made his only basket, made both of his complimentary tosses, had 4 points, 3 helps and 2 rebounds. When he left the video game, the Felines had actually extended the result in 18-11.
UK head coach John Calipari understands how crucial having excellent production at guard is to any group.
” When you have excellent guards in college basketball, you have actually got an opportunity,” Calipari stated. “We have excellent guards. Sahvir was excellent tonight.”
Duquesne head coach Keith Dambrot was impressed with Wheeler on Friday.
” He’s a strong, hard, little man that gets to where he wishes to get and after that shares the ball,” Dambrot stated. “That was most likely the secret to the video game.”
Wheeler completed the video game with 11 points, 11 helps and 6 rebounds in 27 minutes of action.
Senior guard CJ Fredrick had 14 points for the Felines, while freshman huge male Ugonna Onyenso had 9 points, 10 rebounds and 3 obstructed shots.
Wheeler was on the providing end of the play that supplied the exclamation point in the video game. Wheeler found Jacob Toppin racing for the basket and, from near midcourt, Wheeler introduced a pass that Toppin captured and knocked, topping a 15-5 run that put the Cats up 58-37 with simply 8:17 to play.
Kentucky go back to action on Tuesday night, dealing with Michigan State in the Champions Classic in Indianapolis. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. and the video game can be seen on ESPN.
