Kentucky basketball got its enforcer back in crucial win over Indiana
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- UK forward Mouhamed Dioubate had 14 points and 12 rebounds in home win over Indiana.
- Dioubate had missed Kentucky’s past five games with an ankle injury.
- The win over IU was Kentucky’s first high-major victory of the season.
Kentucky basketball’s desperate 72-60 comeback win over Indiana on Saturday night at Rupp Arena featured the return of the most physical Wildcat of the bunch.
Junior forward Mouhamed Dioubate — who missed the past five games with a high ankle sprain — played 22 effective minutes off the bench for UK in the team’s win over its border rival. Dioubate led the Cats in points (14), rebounds (12), made free throws (six) and steals (five) in the victory.
“This was a game perfectly suited for Mo,” UK head coach Mark Pope said. “He was elite on the defensive end. His physicality and doing it legal (without fouling) was elite.”
Dioubate, a 6-foot-7 bruiser from New York City who celebrated his 22nd birthday Saturday, has long been hailed as the enforcer of this UK basketball squad. He brings a distinct presence at both ends of the court, and his absence was keenly felt for Kentucky in losses to North Carolina and Gonzaga.
Before Saturday, Dioubate had started all five of the games he’d played this season. He totaled a plus-minus of plus-18 in coming off the bench against IU, which was the second-best mark of any UK player.
Dioubate also generated arguably the loudest Rupp roar of the night when his putback with 11:31 to play erased Indiana’s seven-point halftime lead and put UK in front for good.
Dioubate’s rebounding value was clear against the Hoosiers. With Dioubate out hurt, UK was outrebounded 41-30 by North Carolina — which led to the Tar Heels enjoying a 22-5 advantage in second-chance points — and 43-31 by Gonzaga.
The Hoosiers still outrebounded the Wildcats by a slim 37-34 margin Saturday, but Kentucky crushed IU in second-chance points, 18-6.
Dioubate’s seven offensive rebounds were by far the most of any player. This was good for a 29.5% offensive rebounding rate, which means Dioubate rebounded nearly three out of every 10 UK misses when he was in the game.
“He was great on the glass,” Pope said. “It was awesome to have him back. He’s such a great competitor, I think it’s been killing him to be out. It was great to have him back. I thought he was incredible.”
For his part, Dioubate said it “sucked” to be out injured — Pope has said Dioubate suffered a torn ligament in his ankle area — for a five-game stretch that included a home loss to a blue blood rival and the most lopsided UK basketball defeat since 2008.
Dioubate explained that his injury recovery process featured two or three treatment periods a day, ice buckets and “every machine you could think of.”
What did he take note of during his spell on the sideline?
“I noticed our effort wasn’t there as it should be,” said Dioubate, who identified himself, junior guard Jaland Lowe and senior guard Otega Oweh as players who have stepped up as leaders for the Wildcats. “That was really bothering (me). Just watching it from the sideline. Like, our effort wasn’t there. We weren’t as connected as we should be, which looks kind of crazy because we all get along pretty well off the court.”
Then came Dioubate’s return. His self-described role as an energizer was on full display against Indiana, along with the tone setting that comes with his physical play.
“I just bring the hustle, the dirty work, the talking on the court,” Dioubate said. “I think my teammates feed off my energy. They see how confident I am on defense, and they feed off of it pretty well.
“I think I bring a lot to the game, as far as that: Rebounding, stealing, blocks and just doing the tough stuff. That’s always been part of my game... I always had that in my game. I’m just going to keep doing it.”
Pope admitted postgame he had “no idea” how Dioubate was going to feel in his return to game action.
But Dioubate’s message to teammates in the leadup to the Indiana game was clear. He didn’t want anything else for his birthday beyond a victory.
Kentucky got exactly what it needed against the Hoosiers, with the birthday boy playing a leading role.
“I said, ‘If there’s anything y’all could do for me. You don’t have to give me any gifts, nothing. Let’s win the game, for my birthday,’” Dioubate said. “And we got it done.”
