LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Antonio Reeves scored 27 points to lead No. 8 Kentucky to a 96-70 win over Illinois State on Friday night.
Playing its first game since a 95-76 win over rival Louisville on Dec. 21, Kentucky (10-2) made 11 3-pointers — four by Reeves — and got 36 points from its bench. Reeves scored 30 points in Kentucky’s win over Louisville.
“Just being able to play with them on the same floor is just everything for me, being able to go out there for the last year and play against our teammates. It’s just it’s a great feeling,” he said.
Reeves began his career at Illinois State where he scored 1,195 points from 2019-22. He scored 12 points in the first half and his 3-pointer at the 5:35 mark of the first half gave the Wildcats their first double-digit lead, one that held for the remainder of the contest.
“Antonio didn’t just shoot it — he got to the rim when we needed it,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said.
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Calipari also praised Reeves’ performance on the defensive end.
“He was guarding their best player,” Calipari said. “Last year, he would guard their worst player and we hoped he had black socks on that guy, because now he’s our best perimeter defender.”
