GREENSBORO, N.C. — For the first time in four years, Kentucky has won an NCAA Tournament game.
The Wildcats defeated the Providence Friars, 61-53, on Friday night, ending an embarrassing skid without a March Madness victory and advancing to the second round of this year’s tournament.
Oscar Tshiebwe was unstoppable on the boards Friday night, tallying 25 rebounds despite spending nearly five minutes on the bench with foul trouble midway through the second half. That set a new Kentucky record for most rebounds in an NCAA Tournament game, surpassing Jerry Bird’s 24 rebounds against Iowa in 1956. Tshiebwe also had eight points.