Oscar Tshiebwe rewrote Rupp Arena rebounding history, still wanted more

Oscar Tshiebwe etched his name in Kentucky Basketball history Wednesday night with the program’s best rebounding performance in almost 50 years.

The big man who didn’t work hard, according to Bob Huggins and only Bob Huggins, put in more work on the glass against the Hilltoppers than any player in Rupp Arena’s 45-year history, surpassing LSU’s Shaquille O’Neal by seven for the Rupp record. Seven! O’Neal (you know, Shaq) had 21 boards against the Wildcats in 1990. Tshiebwe hauled in 28 tonight against WKU, some 31 years later.

Looking at the all-time record book, Tshiebwe’s new career-high matches the late Mike Phillips’ 28-rebound game against Tennessee in 1976. Tshiebwe and Phillips now share the sixth spot in Kentucky’s single-game rebounding history; behind only Dan Issel, Cotton Nash (x2), and the record-holders, Bob Burrow and Bill Spivey.

Kentucky’s Single-Game Rebounding Records

1.) Bob Burrow, 34 rebs. vs. Temple (1955)
1.) Bill Spivey, 34 rebs. vs. Xavier (1951)
3.) Cotton Nash, 30 rebs. vs. Temple (1961)
3.) Cotton Nash, 30 rebs. vs. Mississippi (1964)
5.) Dan Issel, 29 rebs. vs. LSU (1969)
6.) Oscar Tshiebwe, 28 rebs. vs. WKU (2021)
6.) Mike Phillips, 28 rebs. vs. Tennessee (1976)
7.) Jerry Bird, 24 rebs. vs. Iowa (1956)
7.) Dan Issel, 24 rebs. vs. Xavier (1968)
7.) Don Mills, 24 rebs. at Southern California (1959)
7.) Dan Issel, 24 rebs. vs. Florida (1967)

Worth noting, Tshiebwe is the only player on the list from the modern era of college basketball.

Also worth noting, Tshiebwe out-rebounded Western Kentucky by himself, 28 to 27. He also matched Louisville’s entire team in rebounds against the Hilltoppers. The Cardinals combined for 28 against Western Kentucky this past Saturday. (In a loss, I’ll add.)

“I think I could go for 34.”

As fun as it was to watch Tshiebwe chase history in the second half, John Calipari made the wise decision to pull his star big man with time still remaining on the clock.

“They wanted me to leave him in to go get 30 rebounds, but I just wouldn’t do it,” Calipari explained in his postgame press conference. “I said 28 is enough, leave him alone.”

Tshiebwe admitted he was willing to stay in for more. Asked after the game if the all-time record is within reach one day, Tshiebwe replied with a big smile.

“I think I can go for that one night,” he said. “I hope Coach Cal don’t take me out, I hope he don’t. Because tonight if I could’ve finished the five minutes left, I think I could go for 34. That could be good.”

Even without the all-time record, Tshiebwe’s big night warranted a party in the postgame locker room.

“It was amazing to see my teammates celebrate,” he said. “They threw the water on me.”

Break a Rupp Arena record ➡️ celebration shower

🎉 @Oscartshiebwe34 pic.twitter.com/eNiFThKgZD

— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) December 23, 2021

Kellan Grady, who had a big night of his own with seven made 3-pointers, said of Tshiebwe, “It’s hard to put into words, frankly… It’s incredible, just his will and his motor and his effort and his heart. It becomes contagious; when you see how hard Oscar plays, we play hard. And he was +35 today.”

A machine?

Still not yet.

Tshiebwe told KSR’s Tyler Thompson. “I think you can call me a beast for a little bit but I don’t qualify for a machine yet… If I get 30, maybe you can call me a machine.”

Hear more from Tshiebwe on his 28-rebound night below.