Kentucky basketball player grades: Oscar Tshiebwe shines but Gonzaga stomps Wildcats, 88-72

No. 4 against No. 2: Gonzaga Drew Timme and Oscar Tshiebwe, the front-runners for the National Player of the Year award, were expected to chose Kentucky. The stars shone brightly. Timme finished with 22 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal. With 20 points, 15 rebounds, and two steals, Tshiebwe answered back. The two titans of college basketball are in a tie. However, Gonzaga’s supporting cast made all the difference in the Zags’ remarkable 88-72 victory.

Together, Rasir Bolton and Julian Strawther made seven 3-pointers, scoring a total of 44 points. Strawther added 14 more rebounds. However, Kentucky’s offensive misfires in the first half included missing eight layups, two dunks, all 10 3-point attempts, and averaging just 0.676 points per possession. Gonzaga had a 41-25 advantage.