Oscar Tshiebwe's Second-Half Stampede Leads Kentucky to Valiant 85-71 Win Over Georgia
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Sometimes all you need is an opportunity for a free chicken sandwich.
That's just what Big Blue Nation and the rambunctious Rupp Arena crowd stumbled upon when Georgia's Mardrez McBride stepped up to the free throw line for a pair of shots while his Bulldogs were ahead of Kentucky 45-41 with 17:36 to go in a must-win game for the Wildcats.
As McBride stepped to the stripe, a Chick-Fil-A prompt arrived on the jumbotron, displaying something to the tune of "miss both free throws, win a free chicken sandwich!"
It wasn't intended to entice McBride — a 63-percent free-throw shooter — to go 0-2 from the line, but instead get BBN as loud as can be to try and put a metaphoric lid on the rim as he attempted his freebies. The ear-piercing noise did the trick, as the fifth-year guard bricked both attempts, promptly continuing the dynamic UK run that would give the Cats life in the second half, paving the way for an important 85-71 win.
Oscar Tshiebwe scored Kentucky's first nine points of the second half en route to a powerful, career-high 37-point, 24-rebound performance. The reigning National Player of the Year found his 2021-22 season form, pacing the Cats when the going got tough against the fiery Bulldogs.
"Oscar was playing a video game," coach John Calipari said after the win. "He was the most impactful player."
Shooting guard Antonio Reeves had heard of games where Tshiebwe would take over, smashing anything and everything in his way, but he had never seen it with his own eyes — until Tuesday night. He described it like an old pirate's tale, one fitting enough to open with "It was a dark and stormy night..."
"I've never seen nothing like that in my life. Just to see that is crazy," he explained. "That's the first time i've ever seen Oscar really go crazy. Being out there with him is just totally different, it's just like a different animal out there. It's one of those things...i'm out there like 'Jesus Christ,' you know? It's crazy."
Despite the game-shifting run to open the half, coach Mike White's team fought back, led by dynamic guard duo Terry Roberts and Kario Oquendo, who combined for 39 points on 14 made baskets.
Kentucky (12-6, 3-3 SEC) powered through yet another lethargic first-half performance, which saw the team enter the locker room down 42-34, thanks to 33-percent shooting from the floor. Freshman guard Cason Wallace played just nine minutes in the half after picking up two personal fouls in the same UGA (13-5, 3-2) possession. If not for 14 points from Tshiebwe, the deficit would've been much larger.
With thoughts racing through the minds of those in attendance last Tuesday that witnessed South Carolina stun the Wildcats 71-68, Tshiebwe's clear dominance and the team's upgraded energy on and off the court provided a much brighter glimmer of hope that disaster wouldn't strike Lexington twice in seven days.
"This was the plan, coach just wanted to go through me because they were not stopping me," Tshiebwe said. "We tried — it worked. They would not double (team) me ... it was a good game, we fight."
"The whole second half, (the players) were looking at me, 'keep throwing it to (Tshiebwe), run stuff to him, throw it to him."
Tshiebwe knocked down eight of his nine attempts in the second half, compared to shooting 4-11 in the first period.
Wallace picked up the slack he created down the stretch, totaling 11 points in the second half, while forward Jacob Toppin and Reeves continued to find their offensive footing, combining for a combined 22 points on Tuesday night. Toppin also added 11 rebounds — tied for a season-high — and four assists.
"Jacob's playing better and better, being more aggressive and more confident," Calipari exclaimed.
Kentucky — mainly Tshiebwe — continued its hot streak from the free throw line after making 22 of 25 in the win over Tennessee in Knoxville, going 23-30 from the charity stripe. UGA continued to foul the star center, as he finished the night with 13 makes on 18 attempts.
"If the right guys are shooting free throws, you make free throws," Calipari said.
The Wildcats lead finally surpassed double digits in the dying embers, as another Tshiebwe slam-plus the foul sent the Bulldogs packing. Kentucky found that secret sauce it had with it in Knoxville, shooting 54 percent as a team in the final 20 minutes.
With the wheels slowly but surely beginning to roll for Kentucky, it will remain at home to welcome the red-hot Texas A&M Aggies to Rupp Arena for a weekend conference clash. Tipoff this Saturday is set for 2 p.m. EST and will air on ESPN as the Cats look for three victories in a row.
"We're just trying to stack wins every day," Wallace said.
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