Kentucky Basketball: Blue Blood domination of KU behind Tshiebwe, Brooks

Tshiebwe showcased his talents for Player of the Year on big stage

Is there anyone who can stop or slow down Oscar?

That would only be foul trouble or an injury. When neither occurs the big machine just keeps on ticking by cleaning glass and scoring points.

Tshiebwe was one of nine players to make the John R. WoodenMen’s Player of the Year watchlist released at the beginning of January and he has only solidified his name on that list game after game.

Against Kansas, he completely took David McCormack out of the game and Bill Self yanked him and sat him on the Jayhawk bench. He finished with just 3 points.

Oscar snatched 11 defensive rebounds giving him 209 on the season to go with his 108 on offense.

What is so impressive are the little things he also does like run the floor well, see balls when they leave a player’s hand, and know exactly where they will land or bounce off a rim. It’s as if time slows down.

Visions of the movie “The Legend of Bagger Vance” where Matt Damon shuts everything out and can see the break and curve of the greens. The look on Oscar’s face and eyes are the exact same way.

He used that to swipe four Kansas passes right out of the air just like a linebacker watching the quarterback’s eyes. Give him 36 steals for the season. Just don’t let him dribble the ball down the court, the resulted in an ugly turnover.

The lead stayed so far ahead that Lance Ware played 10 minutes allowing Tshiebwe some needed rest on the UK bench with Ware adding four points and four rebounds in relief.