"A bunch" of Kentucky Wildcats prepare for Senior Day

Saturday’s beatdown of Auburn set the stage for one more curtain call at Rupp Arena for Kentucky’s upperclassmen. The final home game of the regular season is Wednesday night against Vanderbilt. John Calipari expects “a bunch” of players to jump through the hoops and participate in pregame festivities on Senior Day.

“I haven’t asked yet, but I bet you it’s a bunch of ’em. It’s just hard you know for me. You have guys that have been here, that fought for us and really played for every fan out there,” John Calipari said on his postgame radio show.

Oscar Tshiebwe, Jacob Toppin, CJ Fredrick, Sahvir Wheeler, Antonio Reeves, and Brennan Canada can all participate in Senior Day, but each has an extra year of eligibility thanks to the COVID-19 waiver. On the other side of campus, Mark Stoops has allowed anyone who’s eligible to participate, and if they choose to return for one more year, he welcomes them with open arms. No one has reached a definitive decision about their future, but there are early whispers around the program that Fredrick and Reeves could each return for the 2023-24 season.

Regardless of who chooses to walk, John Calipari is appreciative of his players and the support they’ve received from the Big Blue Nation.

“When we play that game, I walk in the building and I’m just saying this is incredible. We lead the nation in attendance. We lead the nation in attendance. But I’ll say this, the spirit of the fans, the arena and what it is and what it stands for, it’s incredible. My hat’s off to all the fans that stuck with this group that weren’t jumping on them.”

Calipari added, “I walk in this arena and I see it and I’m so appreciative that I’m coaching here and have this opportunity and then turn in this thing for all of you and get these kids on point.”

UPDATE: UK confirmed to the Herald-Leader’s Ben Roberts that all six players WILL participate in Wednesday’s Senior Day ceremonies. It’s the most Wildcats in a single Senior Day since 1975.

Oscar Tshiebwe Discusses Significance of Senior Day

One player that will almost certainly be playing in his final game at Rupp Arena is Oscar Tshiebwe. In two seasons he’s left his name all over the UK record books. A member of the 1,000-point club, he most recently moved past Jim Andrews into third all-time in double-doubles with 44. Despite all of his accolades on the court, what will mean most to him is happening off the court.

“I’m getting old,” he laughed. “I’m excited. I’m about to graduate. That’s how I’ll make my Mom’s dream come true, because I’ll be the first out of seven children she’s had to graduate from college. I have two older brothers, two older sisters they never graduated from college. I’ll be the first one to graduate from college. My mom, I wish she was here. If she can make it to my graduation, that will make a lot of my family proud.”

Before he makes his mother proud, he has some unfinished business on the basketball court. Facing off against Vanderbilt’s Liam Robbins for the first time this season, Vanderbilt is a formidable foe that could play its way into the NCAA Tournament. The Cats must beat the Commodores to lock up a 3-seed in the SEC Tournament. If not, the tiebreaker situation gets hairy and Kentucky could fall all the way down to the 6-seed. Kentucky must take care of business Wednesday night at 7 pm EST against the Commodores.

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