the 36-man 2014–15 Bob Cousy Award Preseason Watch List and the Wayman Tisdale Award Watch List. Ulis quickly earned a reputation as a difference maker whose contributions may not be obvious in the statistics. On December 10, he was sidelined with an injury. Ulis posted a season-high 14 points on December 27 against Louisville in the Kentucky–Louisville rivalry game known as the Battle For The Bluegrass, earning the MVP of the game from the Bluegrass Sports Commission. On December 29, his effort was recognized with an SEC Freshman of the Week honor. Ulis did not start in any his 37 games played as a freshman, but averaged 23.8 minutes played. Following the season, he was named to the 8-man 2015 SEC All-Freshman Team. Kentucky went undefeated in its first 38 games before losing to Wisconsin in the Final Four of the 2015 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. Ulis led the team in assists per game. Sophomore season Ulis was a selection to the 20-man Bob Cousy Award preseason watchlist, and the 30-man Lute Olson Award preseason watchlist. He was also a 2015–16 Southeastern Conference preseason first team All-conference selection by the media. In preseason top 100 player rankings Ulis was ranked 5 by ESPN and 22 by NBC Sports. During the preseason, Mike Rutherford of SB Nation selected Ulis as one of its 10 most important college basketball players for 2015-16. He made the initial 50-man John R. Wooden Award watch list on November 17. On December 2, Ulis earned recognition on the 50-man Naismith College Player of the Year watchlist and 33-man Robertson Trophy watchlists. Ulis opened the season in the starting lineup against the Albany Great Danes on November 13. On November 17, Ulis posted game-high and career-high 18 points as well as game-high 6 assists with no turnovers in 40 minutes of play in a victory over the defending national champion Duke Blue Devils in the Champions Classic. He posted a game-high and career-high 21 points as well as a game-high 5 assists on November 21 against Wright State. As a result, on November 23, he earned SEC Co-Player of the Week (along with Kenny Gaines). In Kentucky's 2015–16 Southeastern Conference men's basketball season opener against the Ole Miss Rebels on January 2, Ulis posted 20 points and 10 assists. The game marked Ulis' first collegiate double-double and Kentucky's first 20-point and 10-assist performance since John