Oscar Tshiebwe records third straight double-double
In three games as a Kentucky Wildcat, Oscar Tshiebwe has three double-doubles. Big O owned the boards again tonight in Kentucky’s 80-55 win over Mount St. Mary’s, scoring a career-high 24 points and pulling down 16 rebounds to go along with three blocks, a steal, and an assist. He’s the first Kentucky player to record three straight double-doubles since PJ Washington in 2019 and the first Wildcat to start their Kentucky career in that fashion since Julius Randle in 2013. Randle had seven to start the 2013-14 season.
After Oscar pulled down 20 rebounds in his first two games, John Calipari joked that Kentucky fans should hang “R” signs in Rupp Arena like they do the “3” signs for three-pointers. BBN being BBN, they did. Calipari was pleased.
“I didn’t know, but I said, ‘Where are the rebound things.’ and they put down the 3s and they put up that. I love it. So, he knew how many more he had to get.”
It looked like Oscar’s night was over midway through the second half, but fans chanted, “We want Oscar!”, so he went back in and pulled down three more to push his total to 16. Calipari pulled him for good at the 1:41 mark but said if Oscar was any closer to 20 boards, he’d have left him in.
“If he was one or two away, I’d have left him in for another minute and let him get two rebounds because that’s not being selfish,” Calipari said. “‘Oh, he needs two more points.’ Sit down. It’s not about points. That’s ego stuff. Rebounds are hard to get and that’s not being selfish.”
With 56 rebounds in three games, Tshiebwe ranks behind only Michael Beasley and Blake Griffin in the past 25 years.
“Probably should ask God what they should call me”
Prior to the Duke game, Oscar told BBN Tonight a story about Coach K recruiting him, specifically how the legendary coach asked if he was a machine. Oscar’s reply? “I’m not a machine. I’m Oscar.”
Tonight, Drew Franklin asked Big O if he keeps rebounding like this if we can start calling him a machine. His response was classic.
“Probably should ask God what they should call me,” he said. “I’ll ask God. If he says yes, ‘They can call you a machine,’ then I’ll take that. I don’t think I’m a machine yet.”
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