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College Football

Zvonimir Ivisic steals the show during Kentucky’s win over Georgia

Paul Harvey

By Paul Harvey

Published:

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Zvonimir Ivisic was cleared for his college debut on Saturday, and the 7-foot-2 big man from Croatia delivered a splash with his entrance!

John Calipari did not wait long to use Ivisic, sending in the player known as “Big Z” early in the first half against Georgia. The impact was immediate with Ivisic quickly blocking a shot and later dishing a beautiful behind-the-back assist to kickstart his action.

Ivisic’s first points of his college career would come around the 8-minute mark with a 3-point bucket. After that, he would pour in 11 points in a span of 2 and a half minutes to ignite Rupp Arena. It would have been 12 points but a replay review changed another 3-point field goal to 2 points.

Ivisic started the game with a 4-for-4 shooting effort, including 3-for-3 from range. Not only is Big Z a huge talent for the Wildcats, he has a chance to be a difference-maker for Calipari’s group down the stretch.

RELATED: Be sure to check out DraftKings North Carolina (launching soon) to stay up to date on the latest odds and trends of the college basketball season.

Georgia would cut the final score to 105-96, but Kentucky was in control the entire way after building a 54-35 lead at halftime. Tre Mitchell led the Wildcats with 23 points and Antonio Reeves added 21 as Kentucky shot 61.9% from the floor and 56% from deep.

However, the story of the game belonged to Big Z after Ivisic delivered 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks. He was efficient with the ball while shooting 5-for-7 from the floor and 3-for-4 from 3-point range.

Fan and media reaction

Along the way, Ivisic set social media on fire with a debut for the ages. Here’s a look at how fans and media alike took in the performance:

Paul Harvey

Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.

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