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Oscar Tshiebwe Setting Rebounding Records

Prior to the start of the season, Oscar Tshiebwe openly said that he wanted to average 20 rebounds per game.

vs Robert Morris, November 12, 2021, Lexington, Kentucky, USA. Photo by Walter Cornett / Three Point Shots

During the media blitz prior to the 2021-22 men's basketball season, Kentucky forward had some big goals. He spoke of doing things that had never been done in the history of the storied basketball program.

Tshiebwe openly said that he wanted to average 20 rebounds per game. That was a lofty goal, especially considering a couple of historical items.

First, in the last 36 years, only two players have managed to average double figures in rebounds for the Cats. National Player of the Year averaged 10.4 rebounds during the 2011-12 national championship season. And averaged 10.4 boards per contest, with his coming in the 2013-14 national runner-up season.

Taking it one step further, in the last 48 years, only three Wildcats have posted double digit rebounding averages. In addition to Davis and Randle, grabbed 10.2 rebounds per game in 1984-85.

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On This Day In UK Basketball History

On March 28, 1992, in what many called the “best NCAA Tournament game ever,” Kentucky takes defending NCAA champion Duke into overtime before losing 104-103 in the East Regional finals in Philadelphia. A last-second shot by Christian Laettner sends Duke to the Final Four, and breaks the hearts of Wildcat fans everywhere. It is Cawood Ledford’s last game as the “Voice of the Wildcats.”

 

On March 28, 1998, against Stanford, Kentucky rallied from a 10-point second-half deficit, then grabbed a 5-point overtime lead, before fending off the Cardinals to advance to the title game for the third straight season. Jeff Sheppard canned three long-range three-pointers - two in the final three minutes and one in overtime - en route to a career-high 27 points.

 

On March 28, 2014, unranked Kentucky beat No. 5 Louisville 74-69, in the 2014 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.  Aaron Harrison buried a three-pointer from the left corner with 39 seconds left that put UK ahead to stay before 41,072 in Lucas Oil Stadium.

 

On March 28, 2015, No. 1 Kentucky defeated No. 8 Notre Dame, 68-66, in the 2015 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.  With its 37-0 record on the line, Kentucky trailed Notre Dame 59-53 with 6:14 left. UK rallied in front of 19,464 fans in Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena and preserved its perfect season thanks to a crucial blocked shot by Willie Cauley-Stein and two game-deciding free throws from Andrew Harrison in the final seconds.

 

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