Oscar Tshiebwe breaks a Kentucky Basketball rebounding record in win over Robert Morris
In two games as a Kentucky Wildcat, Oscar Tshiebwe has 40 rebounds, which breaks Dan Issel’s record for the most in school history in the first two games. Of those 40, 22 have been on the offensive glass, which ties Paul Millsap for the most by a Division I player in any two-game span over the last 25 seasons. Tshiebwe headed to the bench with 19 boards and 14 points with 7:46 left, but John Calipari let him go back in to get rebound No. 20, which broke a Rupp Arena record for a Kentucky player.
“He knew he needed one more rebound for 20,” Calipari said after Kentucky’s 100-60 win over Robert Morris. “I think what we’re gonna put up — you know, this place has always been about those threes and the next three [and so on]. We’re gonna put somewhere else, we’re gonna have Rs. R R R R R R R for him, so he can look up and count. ‘I’m going to get five more.’ He’ll go get them. But it got kind of silly when you watched it. Like, he’s just going and grabbing, jerking them in.”
After the game, our own Jack Pilgrim asked Oscar about breaking Dan Issel’s record. Deb Moore, one of Kentucky Basketball’s sports information directors, helped give Big O a history lesson.
Offense is still a work in progress
As dominant as Oscar is on the boards, his offense still needs some work. He was only 5-11 from tonight, missing several gimmes under the basket. Calipari said Kentucky is still working on sets for him in practice.
“He’s a great kid. Smiles every day. I’m trying not to give him too much stuff but we still don’t have a good post scheme yet for him. We just don’t. And I told the team after, we’ve got to figure this out.”
When Jerry Tipton asked if it was a matter of position under the basket, Calipari couldn’t resist an easy joke.
“I’m going to have you guard him in practice and then see if you say the same thing. We’re still working on footwork. I thought he’s not moving. He’s stopping his feet. So he’s doing that, you’ve got to keep your feet moving and then you’ve got to catch it and go right into the shot or catch it and ball fake it into the shot.”
A postgame interview to remember
After the game, SEC Network’s Daymeon Fishback informed Oscar he broke the Rupp Arena single-game record for rebounds. His comments will make you love him even more.
“I didn’t know that,” Tshiebwe said. “For real? That’s crazy.”
When asked what his family would think of his performance, Oscar smiled.
“I think they’re really happy because I’m not a selfish person; I work for a lot of people,” he said, motioning to the Rupp Arena crowd. “I work for all these people who came here. That’s why I’m here, to dominate, to make a dream come true, to make everybody happy.”
How can you not love this kid?
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