Together in Rupp one last time, this Kentucky team put on one last show. ‘It’s been fun.’

One last time, this collection of Kentucky Wildcats that has so clearly captured the imagination of a college basketball fan base that’s so difficult to impress set foot on the Rupp Arena court.

And one last time, they gave the 20,000 or so that came to see them play a taste of what’s made this season so special.

Kentucky’s 93-77 victory over Vanderbilt on Wednesday night wasn’t perfect. Far from it. But if you’re looking to sum up this roller-coaster ride of a UK season with 40 minutes of basketball, this was as good of an example as any.

The Cats gave the Rupp faithful a little scare in the beginning, starting out slow — as they often have — against a much-lesser-regarded foe. But then — toward the end of the first half — they turned on the gas. And when they do that, there’s no greater show in the sport.

Naturally, it was the shifty Rob Dillingham that shifted the momentum.

Kentucky trailed Vanderbilt — the lowest-rated team in the SEC — for most of the first half, falling behind by as many as six points on two separate occasions to a team that it had beaten by 32 in Nashville exactly one month earlier.

Rupp Arena was restless. John Calipari was beside himself. But the show had yet to begin.

In his first eight minutes on the court, Dillingham had missed all four of his shots and committed two turnovers. And then he went into Rob mode.

Over a span of three minutes and 30 seconds, he scored 12 points, dished out an assist, and played that flashy style that only he knows how to play. Before he made his first shot, Kentucky trailed Vanderbilt 30-25 with a little more than four minutes left until halftime. His final 3-pointer of the scoring flurry gave Kentucky a 42-38 lead.

Dillingham kept it up in the second half, finishing with 23 points and five assists.

“Man, it’s crazy,” Antonio Reeves said of his freshman teammate. “Knowing that he’s like a little microwave out there — it’s really just fun to see. When he gets the ball, just get out of the way. Because you know he’s gonna make a play.”

Another trait of this Kentucky team? Anybody can beat you. And, often, multiple guys do.

UK brings out three players to speak to reporters after each home game. It was unsurprising that — on this team’s final night together in Rupp Arena — Dillingham wasn’t one of them.

Plenty of others had memorable moments.

Reeves, the Cats’ leading scorer and only major contributor that returned from last season’s team, went through Senior Night festivities around this time last year. He acknowledged Wednesday night that he didn’t expect to be back in Lexington when he did that. Reeves entered the NBA draft, ultimately withdrew his name but was still looking at other options before he made a belated return to UK relatively deep into the offseason.

And there he was again, running through a hoop to join his family on the Rupp Arena court one more time before playing his final game in front of the Kentucky fans. For real, this time.

Reeves scored 20 points against Vanderbilt, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer of the first half, a shot so deep that one of his feet was actually on the edge of the UK logo at midcourt before he lifted into the air and let the ball fly. It was the only 3 he hit Wednesday night, the last one he’ll ever make in Rupp.

“Definitely emotional,” he said. “Just seeing all the fans. My family coming out. And, you know, all the emotions just came to me, started running through me, as soon as I came out there. And I’m very appreciative. I’m very blessed to be in this position.”

A few feet away, a smiling D.J. Wagner talked about his night and his season to this point.

The 18-year-old freshman had 11 points, four rebounds, five assists and went 3 of 5 from 3-point range. He was a name of interest to many Kentucky fans before he even enrolled in high school, ranked No. 1 in his recruiting class as a kid, the son of former Calipari star Dajuan Wagner, and a coveted prospect for the Wildcats for years before he eventually committed.

Wagner has had an up-down-season at Kentucky. But he’s long been considered a surefire one-and-done college basketball player, and young prospects who come to town with that kind of label usually follow the story to the NBA in the end.

After what was most likely his final home game as a Wildcat, the teenager reflected on the past few months, filled with appreciation for the opportunity.

“It’s been fun,” Wagner said. “I’m just very grateful to be able to step on that court and wear this name on my chest. It’s been a blessing to be able to play in front of these great people, in front of my family. To play for Coach, with these great teammates. It’s just a blessing in itself.

“I couldn’t tell you, like, ‘I feel like I played good. I feel like I played bad.’ I’m just happy to be out there.”

Whatever decisions are made following Kentucky’s final game, this particular bunch will never play together in Rupp Arena again. Reeves and fellow fifth-year player Tre Mitchell will be gone for sure. Dillingham surely will be, too. Wagner and Justin Edwards are projected as NBA draft picks. Every scholarship player on the roster will have to contemplate his next move, a postseason staple of the Calipari era.

Kentucky fans know that’s the reality. With about four minutes left Wednesday night, the Cats up nearly 20 points and the game decided, a chant erupted out of nowhere. “Go Big Blue! Go Big Blue!” it went, an appreciative shout-out to one of the most exciting UK basketball teams in years in their final moments together at home.

Sitting between Reeves and Wagner after Wednesday’s game was Reed Sheppard, the freshman from Laurel County, the state’s reigning Mr. Basketball, and the player on this team who has most galvanized a UK fan base always yearning for a local kid to make it big.

Sheppard has certainly done that this season. And he did it again Wednesday night, fittingly dishing out 11 assists, once again playing a part he’s played so well.

As Sheppard spoke, Mitchell wandered over to listen. The 19-year-old noticed, telling the group surrounding him that his 23-year-old teammate was his roommate on the road. Both smiled.

It was another one of those moments that have become so common this season — one UK teammate looking in on another, trying to get a laugh or showing a little support.

Sheppard said his roommate snores. “Really bad,” he added. Mitchell said the Kentucky kid talks in his sleep. They both got their laughs, and Mitchell walked back to the UK locker room.

Reflecting on his own time in Rupp this season, Sheppard said he didn’t really know what to expect when this season began. “My mind was wide open — just doing anything I needed to do to win,” he said.

The son of two former UK basketball stars, he had basically grown up in the building, attending games throughout his childhood, recalling memories of some of his favorites — Devin Booker, Tyler Ulis and Tyler Herro — and cheering them on from the stands.

Sheppard played here as a high schooler, too, competing in the Sweet Sixteen. But nothing compares to stepping on that court in a Kentucky jersey.

“It’s completely different — sitting in the stands yelling as a little kid to being out there playing and hearing the fans yell,” he said. “... So being able to do that, it was really, really cool.

“And it’s been really special.”

That last quote seemed to have some finality to it. Sheppard is also viewed as a lottery pick in this year’s NBA draft. A new list of rankings from ESPN this week had him at No. 5 overall.

“I haven’t even looked at any of that,” Sheppard said. And he said it like he meant it.

He didn’t say that Wednesday night was his final game in Rupp Arena. He didn’t say it wasn’t.

But he did acknowledge that — whatever happens next — he’ll never play with this specific group of Wildcats in this place that’s meant so much to him ever again.

“Growing up, it was always a dream of mine to play here. At Kentucky. At Rupp Arena. Being able to run out every game and hear the crowd go nuts. Hit a shot, and the crowd goes nuts. And then with this team — being able to do it together — it was really cool.”

Next game

No. 15 Kentucky at No. 4 Tennessee

When: 4 p.m. Saturday

TV: CBS-27

Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1

Records: Kentucky 22-8 (12-5 SEC), Tennessee 24-6 (14-3)

Series: Kentucky leads 160-78

Last meeting: Tennessee won 103-92 on Feb. 3 in Lexington

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First Scouting Report: Can UK basketball turn the tables on Tennessee in Knoxville?