Oscar Tshiebwe gets bullied and John Calipari knows that cannot happen in postseason play

Oscar Tshiebwe put up 18 points and 15 rebounds and even on an off night gave UK a winning post presence. (Vicky Graff Photo)

John Calipari has not been upset with Oscar Tshiebwe often this season … but he was Tuesday night.

“Today I thought Oscar got bullied, and I was on him about it,” said the Kentucky coach after Kentucky’s 83-72 win over Mississippi kept the Cats unbeaten at Rupp Arena this season. “He gets 18 (points) and 15 (rebounds) but he still got bullied.”

Calipari’s message all season has been holding players to a high standard whether it’s Keion Brooks, Jacob Toppin or even Tshiebwe — the likely national player of the year.

“I am doing it with every kid,” Calipari said.

It was 7-foot, 245-pound Nysier Brooks who did most of the bullying. He had 14 points and five rebounds but his constant leaning and pushing on Tshiebwe did create problems for the UK center.

“The guy was really leveraging him. That kid is really good. He is a good player, but when Oscar caught it in tight, he score,” Calipari said.

Calipari said when Brooks pushed Tshiebwe out away from the basket, he told his players not to throw him the ball … and sometimes players threw the ball to him.

“But when he gets it tight with a good angle, it’s a basket,” Calipari said. “But again, he got 18 and 15 and we’re looking like what, ‘Come on, you’re better than that. Where were 30 and 20? We’re all losing our minds. The main one is me.”

Think about it. Tshiebwe was 9-for-12 from the field, had 15 rebounds (four offensive) and made two steals in 34 minutes. Yet it seemed like an “off” game because of his spectacular play most of the season.

Mississippi coach Kermit Davis was still impressed by what Tshiebwe did.

“Tshiebwe is just special. He just expanded his game. Obviously he made three or four 15-16 footers. He’s just got such strong hands,” Davis said. “I thought Nys (Nysier Brooks) battled. Nys didn’t get a defensive rebound. He got five offensive rebounds.

“Tshiebwe was 18 and 15. He only had five at the half. He had 10 rebounds in the second half. He is about winning. What separates him from a lot of big bigs around the country is his conditioning and toughness. He’s just got such mental toughness when he is faced with fatigue.”

Calipari knows for UK to have postseason success, Tshiebwe is the key.

“If you don’t have a post presence, you’re a fraud, and if you think you’re going to march through the NCAA Tournament shooting 40 3’s a game, good luck, because one of those games you’re going to go 5-for-40 and you’re going to lose by 20,” Calipari said.

“In one of those games, you may go 20 out of 40, 22, and be all ecstatic first round, but you’ve got to have someone that can get easy baskets. That’s how you shoot a high percentage.”

“If you don’t have a post presence you are a fraud. If you think you are going to march to the NCAA Tournament shooting 40 3’s a game, good luck,” Calipari said. “One of those games you’re going to go 5-for-40 and you’re going to lose by 21. You may go 20 out of 40 and be ecstatic in the first round. But you gotta have someone that can get easy baskets. That’s how you shoot a high percentage.”