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INDIANAPOLIS — Kentucky star Oscar Tshiebwe showcased his influence on Tuesday when he completed with 22 factors and 18 rebounds in his first recreation of the season following offseason knee surgical procedure.
However the crew additionally felt the Wood Award winner’s absence when he fouled out within the first extra time in Michigan State’s 86-77 double-overtime win over No. 4 Kentucky within the Champions Basic.
“That was the coach’s choice [to allow me to play],” Tshiebwe stated Tuesday after lacking the crew’s first two video games whereas he recovered from arthroscopic surgical procedure. “I went by rehab and every little thing was good. I used to be simply going to play a little bit bit. The sport was actually powerful and I needed to play. I really feel actually good.”
Tshiebwe didn’t waste time displaying the group, which featured a mess of NBA scouts and executives together with Golden State Warriors common supervisor Bob Myers, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, why he has an opportunity to match Ralph Sampson Jr. as the one two-winner of the Wood Award.
Alongside together with his double-double, he additionally completed with 4 blocks and completed 4-for-4 from the free throw line.
However the Kentucky star additionally demonstrated a few of the challenges that include lacking a month of apply following his surgical procedure in October.
He had 5 turnovers. He settled for a troublesome leap shot that clanked off the rim towards the tip of regulation. He additionally received misplaced on a Michigan State inbounds play when Malik Corridor scored within the ultimate seconds of regulation and despatched the sport into its first extra time.
Kentucky was outscored 17-7 after Tshiebwe picked up his fifth foul with 32 seconds remaining within the first extra time.
“Oscar is not Oscar but,” Tom Izzo stated after the sport.
John Calipari stated Tuesday was the primary time the crew had performed collectively as a consequence of accidents. And Daimion Collins has missed time as a result of loss of life of his father. Calipari stated all of that impacted the Wildcats down the stretch of an in depth recreation.
“We weren’t prepared,” he stated after the sport. “I informed them within the locker room, ‘We’re not prepared for groups which can be prepared to complete the tip of video games.’ They executed higher than us.”
However Tuesday’s recreation additionally allowed Michigan State to shine 4 days after it suffered a 64-63 loss to No. 2 Gonzaga on an plane provider in San Diego. The Spartans do not have an NBA lottery choose on their roster. Joey Hauser (23 factors) and Co., nevertheless, performed with the grit that is outlined Izzo’s tenure at Michigan State and secured a win over a Kentucky crew with Ultimate 4 potential.
Izzo stated he thought the Spartans caught Kentucky at a time when the crew remains to be making an attempt to regulate to Tshiebwe’s return.
“That is a very good crew and they are going to be an amazing crew, so all of the Kentucky followers: do not leap off the ship,” he stated. “With [Tshiebwe] simply coming again, it is not straightforward to deliver a man like him in and every little thing goes easy.”
Tshiebwe entered the sport after the primary TV timeout with 14:55 to go within the first half when Kentucky had a 6-4 lead over Michigan State.
The return of Tshiebwe, who will reportedly make a seven-figure sum on title, picture and likeness offers this season, prolonged a robust week for Calipari, who acquired a dedication from D.J. Wager on Monday.
Wagner, the No. 1 recruit within the 2023 class per ESPN, picked Kentucky over Louisville, its chief rival.
Kentucky will now face South Carolina State on Thursday earlier than touring to Spokane, Washington, to face No. 2 Gonzaga on Sunday.
Following Tuesday’s recreation, Tshiebwe stated his crew will proceed to develop now that it is wholesome.
“We ready and we made a few errors,” Tshiebwe stated. “We’ll work on these and we will get higher for the following recreation.”
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