Calipari gives a final update on Oscar Tshiebwe ahead of Kentucky-Michigan State game
READ MORE
Champions Classic preview: No. 4 Kentucky vs. Michigan State
Click below to read more of the Herald-Leader’s and Kentucky.com’s preview coverage ahead of Tuesday night’s Kentucky-Michigan State men’s basketball game scheduled for 7 p.m. at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Expand All
Oscar Tshiebwe’s status for Kentucky’s game against Michigan State on Tuesday remains up in the air.
But there’s clearly some optimism going into the Champions Classic.
UK Coach John Calipari spoke to reporters Monday and did not say for sure whether college basketball’s reigning national player of the year would sit or play against the Spartans, a game that is expected to be the first major test on the 2022-23 schedule for the No. 4-ranked Wildcats.
Calipari did say that Tshiebwe would return to practice later Monday, the first time he will have practiced in full since last month. The UK coach implied that his star player could be on somewhat of a minutes count if he is able to go against the Spartans.
“He’s been doing the conditioning stuff,” Calipari said. “He just hasn’t been on that court, and that’s totally different. My guess would be he plays 3-4 minutes at a stretch. If he plays. … Knowing him, he wants to play. But I can’t tell you right now.”
Michigan State nearly defeated No. 2 Gonzaga in San Diego on Friday night, losing 64-63 after leading by as many as 12 points early in the second half.
Kentucky coasted to victories over Howard and Duquesne in its first two games of the regular season last week, playing without Tshiebwe, who led the Cats with 17.4 points and a nation-best 15.2 rebounds per game last season. He swept national player of the year honors and decided in the offseason to return to school for another run with the Wildcats.
The Kentucky star was last seen competing on the court at the program’s Pro Day event for NBA scouts on Oct. 9, when he showed no sign of injury and was among the most impressive players in the Wildcats’ scrimmage sessions.
He was held out of practice the following day with a knee injury, and Calipari announced the next day that Tshiebwe had also missed a practice before Pro Day and would need a “minor” procedure on his knee. That surgery took place Oct. 13, and the Kentucky star showed up at Big Blue Madness the next day on crutches. He did not play in any of the team’s preseason exhibitions and was on the bench for both the Howard and Duquesne games last week.
Over the past month, Calipari has repeatedly said that Tshiebwe is ahead of schedule with his recovery. He has been warming up with the team prior to the Wildcats’ first two regular-season games, showing no signs of a limp on the Rupp Arena court.
Later in his Monday press conference, Calipari again teased Tshiebwe’s return. Asked if leading scorers Antonio Reeves and CJ Fredrick might have more difficulty getting wide-open shots against the defensively minded Spartans, the UK coach smiled and replied in a comical tone.
“Not if Oscar’s in there,” he said. “You got your choice. Don’t let them touch it. Stay out there, and let Oscar go one-on-one. And then you trap, and Oscar’s been a pretty good passer. He makes a difference.”
Calipari did say Monday that sophomore forward Daimion Collins is expected to be available and play for the Wildcats against Michigan State on Tuesday night. Collins has spent several days away from the team over the past couple of weeks following the unexpected death of his father six days before the start of the regular season.
Collins returned to Kentucky over the weekend and has practiced with the Cats. He was not with the team for the first two games against Howard and Duquesne.
After the Michigan State game Tuesday night, the Wildcats return to Rupp for a Thursday game against South Carolina State before heading west to play No. 2 Gonzaga in Spokane on Sunday.
This story was originally published November 14, 2022 at 1:42 PM.
