100 days after stepping foot on to the University of Kentucky’s campus, Kentucky men’s basketball big man Zvonimir “Big Z” Ivišić was finally granted eligibility to play for the Cats.
The news came just days after Kentucky fans funded money to put up a billboard in front of the NCAA headquarters reading, “Free Big Z.”
The 7-foot, 2-inch Croatian spread the word on Jan. 20 via social media just hours before Kentucky played the Georgia Bulldogs at Rupp Arena.
Ivišić had been allowed to practice, warm up and sit on the bench with the team since arriving to Lexington, but he was not allowed to physically partake in games.
Finally eligible to play, Ivišić took the court to warm up for the first time as an active player, creating a new atmosphere with fans in attendance thinking it wasn’t a matter of what day he was going to play, it was a matter of what minute.
“I was nervous at the beginning when I was just sitting on the bench and before in the locker room, I was really really nervous,” Ivišić said. “But when I got in, I was cool.”
Ivišić finally checked in for the first time just four minutes into the game and he immediately ignited the crowd as those in attendance rose to their feet to properly welcome a player who, throughout his journey, wasn’t positive he’d ever get to play.
Fueled by the rocking noise in Rupp Arena, Ivišić started his debut off with a block and followed it up with a behind-the-back, kick-out pass to Kentucky veteran Antonio Reeves, who drained a 3-pointer, causing a vocal explosion from the crowd.
As play went on, Ivišić torched Georgia with 13 points, five rebounds, two assists and three blocks in 16 minutes of play while going 3-4 from deep and 5-7 from the field.
Funded by the great Big Z debut, Kentucky defeated Georgia 105-96 and earned its fourth SEC win and 14th overall win of the season.
“I really enjoyed playing in front of them (the crowd), I don’t know, there’s no words for it, I just enjoyed it,” Ivišić said.
While his debut was a dream, his second game was more akin to a nightmare.
Three days later – with full momentum – the Wildcats headed to Columbia, South Carolina, to take on the South Carolina Gamecocks in Colonial Life Arena, looking to win their fifth SEC game of the year.
This time around, Ivišić made his road debut and it would go nothing like it did three days prior as he, along with the whole Kentucky squad, was visibly shaken by the sold-out crowd, resulting a 79-62 loss.
Ivišić played ten minutes, coming up with three points, two rebounds and two blocks – a significantly different box score than featured in the Georgia game.
Looking to improve from of the loss and return to his debut ways, Ivišić and the Cats have a great opportunity to bounce back on Saturday, Jan. 27, when Kentucky visits Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks (10-9, 1-5).
While Bud Walton Arena has one of the most electric atmospheres in college basketball, the Wildcats have an edge on the struggling Hogs as Arkansas only has one win in conference play while also losing three games at home so far this season.
Week one was a roller coaster for Ivišić, but now, with two games under his belt, he will look to continue acclimating to the fast-paced, gritty style of college basketball and truly carve out his niche on the Cats’ deep roster.
