Ugonna Onyenso's 10 blocks tied a single-game Rupp Arena record

Ugonna Onyenso and David Robinson. That’s the list of college basketball players to record 10 blocks in a single game at Rupp Arena.

During Kentucky’s 75-63 win over Ole Miss on Tuesday night, Onyenso was defending the rim as if his life depended on it. He recorded seven blocks alone in the first half of action before sending back three more in the second. Onyenso’s 10 rejections matched Robinson’s mark when the Hall of Famer had the same amount all the way back in Jan. 1987 for Navy.

That’s pretty good company.

“Ugonna set a Rupp record,” Kentucky head coach John Calipari said postgame. “Which is amazing. 10 blocks. They [Ole Miss] got seven footers now, one guy is 7-foot-5.”

Onyenso did this in just 24 minutes of action. It set a new personal best for him, surpassing the eight blocks that he registered just two weeks ago against Florida. A week before facing the Gators, the 7-foot sophomore said his goal was to reach double-digits in blocks at some point this season. He joked with his coaches ahead of the game that he was going to get at least eight more against Ole Miss. He somehow undersold himself.

So what’s next for the big man?

“Break the record that I broke?” he answered, while also adding that he should have credited with 11 blocks.

In addition to defending the rim for Kentucky, Onyenso also chipped in eight points (3-3 FG) and three rebounds. Had he not gone 2-4 from the free-throw line, he’d be looking at his second career double-double. He became just the fourth Division I player this season and the first from the SEC to reach at least 10 blocks.

It must be something about playing Ole Miss that just turns Kentucky’s shot blockers into history-makers. Back in Jan. 2013, freshman Nerlens Noel famously blocked 12 shots against the Rebels, which still stands as the program’s single-game record. Noel sent back the majority of those shots down the stretch while sitting on four personal fouls, too.

While Kentucky didn’t need a heroic effort from Onyenso to beat Ole Miss over a decade later, his performance was still impressive nonetheless. It’s really nothing new for him either. Onyenso’s block percentage now sits at 19.6, per KenPom, which would easily rank first in the entire country if he played enough minutes to qualify. His 48 blocks on the season nearly doubles Tre Mitchell‘s total of 25, Kentucky’s next-highest player in that category.

We’re currently witnessing one of the best shot blockers in Kentucky men’s basketball history.