Reed Sheppard lists out reasons that led to Kentucky's devastating 97-87 loss against Texas A&M: "We got selfish"

Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard registered 14 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists during the Wildcats' 97-87 loss to the Texas A&M Aggies in the SEC (Southeastern Conference) tournament quarterfinals.

The Kentucky Wildcats locked up a No. 2 seed in the tournament when they defeated Dalton Knecht's Tennessee Volunteers 85-81 in the last game of the regular season at Rupp Arena.

During his postgame news conference, Sheppard listed out the reasons why the Wildcats lost the game.

“We didn’t play like we’ve normally been playing. We didn’t share the ball. We got selfish and tried to make home run plays, just try and take over the game by ourselves,” Sheppard said. “We’ll learn from it. We’ll get better. We got a bunch of dudes that know how to play basketball. We’ll continue to get in the gym, watch the game, learn from it, then just continue to get better."

Reed Sheppard further complimented the Aggies and removed the blame for the loss from the coaching team.

“The coaches did a really good job of preparing us for the game. You got to give Texas A&M credit. They came out, they fought, they were physical. We knew it was going to be a physical game. We didn’t play like we needed to play,” Sheppard said.

“They hit shots. We got selfish. They deserved to win the game. They played better. But this was on us. The coaches did a really good job of preparing us and getting scouts for the game. We played ’em once, so we knew what to expect. We’ll continue to get in the gym and grow from it.”

Reed Sheppard rises up the draft boards

Away from the disappointment of the exit from the SEC Tournament, Reed Sheppard was recently projected as the No. 1 pick for the San Antonio Spurs, joining Victor Wembanyama by The Ringer's draft analyst Kevin O'Connor in his latest mock draft.

Draft Digest also updated their outlook on Sheppard and how his skills would likely translate to the NBA.

"His shooting ability alone makes him a coveted basketball prospect, but he’s got plenty of connective attributes capable of making a winning impact, too. He averages 4.4 rebounds — a fine number for an undersized guard — and 4.3 assists per game, a strong number off the bench, and something that could allude to a possibly larger role in the NBA down the line."

Although he has been rising in various mock drafts as the season has progressed and his performances have improved, this is the highest that Reed Sheppard has ever reached.