Otega Oweh’s buzzer-beater saves Kentucky’s season in classic March Madness sequence

ST. LOUIS – Otega Oweh saved, and then he listened.

With a lean and a prayer right in front of his coach – and a little help from the glass – Oweh had just kept Kentucky’s season alive on Friday afternoon with a buzzer-beater, when Mark Fox, his position coach, stopped him and whispered a message into his ear.

“Listen,” Fox said, the Enterprise Center rocking and the Cats celebrating around him, “you’re a great competitor and it’s shining through. You’ve got to shine for five more minutes.”

Oweh delivered in overtime of No. 7 Kentucky’s 89-84 win over No. 10 Santa Clara, keeping the Cardiac Cats’ heart beating for at least two more days. It only took the game of his life (35 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists), including six more points, an assist and a rebound in overtime. UK will meet No. 2 Iowa State in the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 32 on Sunday in St. Louis.

During a season that has been trying at times for Kentucky (22-13) – best known for its reported $22 million payroll, the most expensive roster in college basketball – Oweh has been one constant. The only time he really struggled, Fox said, was in the preseason, and that was because he couldn’t play with a foot injury.

“It is hard to have that contagious, competitive enthusiasm when you’re sitting over there in the boot,” Fox said.

Oweh loves to play. Wants to play one-on-one every day after practice. Always in the gym.

That work ethic eventually changed his career trajectory. Oweh was a sidekick for two years at Oklahoma, and though it was never the intention to make him a star when he transferred to Kentucky in the spring of 2024, it just kind of happened.

“He’s very unselfish, and so early in his career, it never bothered him that other guys maybe were getting a few more shots or whatever, but even in last year’s games he started to evolve as the guy that was our best player,” Fox said. “He carried us in key moments, and now it doesn’t bother him. He almost wants that. He almost wants that load on his back every day. He’s not scared of the moment or the pressure. He’s wired different.”

As the chatter got louder in early December, when Kentucky started the season 5-4, Oweh just kept producing and embraced a new role as the leader in a locker room that needed one.

“He has a big brother in the NFL, and another big brother, so he was always a little brother,” Fox said. “And I think what he’s enjoyed this year is being the big brother of some of our younger guys.

“But over two years, he is a relentless competitor, sometimes to a fault, but he’s been unbelievably coachable. I like to say he’s like an artist; you’ve got to manage the painting the right way, but he welcomes information. And he just shows up every day.”

True to form, Oweh was the one constant in the first 40 minutes Friday for Kentucky. Oweh had the clearest advantage for the Cats, his speed giving Santa Clara problems and allowing him to get to the basket.

Problem was, there wasn’t always space. Kentucky coach Mark Pope built a team with defense in mind this year, but he sacrificed shooting – and therefore spacing – in getting some grinders like Mouhamed Dioubate, who Santa Clara purposely did not guard on the perimeter. In the second half, the floor tightened for Kentucky, and Oweh started settling for some contested jumpers. He’d found shooters early in the half, but he seemed determined to take the shots down the stretch.

Kentucky’s defense, meanwhile, started to struggle, issues from earlier in the season presenting themselves again. Mainly bad communication in ball screen coverage. The Broncos shot 50 percent in the second half and made 5 of 9 3s, including an Allen Graves’ pick-and-pop 3 – seemingly the game-winner – with 2.4 seconds left.

The Cats have won five games this year when they trailed by double digits, including wins at LSU on a buzzer-beater when down 18 and sweeping Tennessee despite trailing by 17 and 14 in those two games.

“These guys keep getting up, man,” Pope said. “Like we get knocked down, they keep getting up and they keep getting up and keep getting up.”

So, when it looked dire once Graves’ shot went through, Oweh didn’t hesitate. With Santa Clara coach Herb Sendek running up the sideline after the official to call timeout, Oweh caught a pass and zoomed by him, taking three dribbles before letting go of a shot that he never intended to bank.

“It’s March,” Oweh said. “I feel like that’s just what happens.”

It was going to be only a footnote, however, if Kentucky didn’t get back to getting the ball in the paint in overtime. Oweh gave his team its first lead of OT with a driving shot in the lane. All five of UK’s buckets in extra time were in the paint.

Those pick-and-roll mishaps in regulation got corrected too, with backup center Brandon Garrison switching onto Santa Clara guard Sash Gavalyugov and blocking two of his 3s that led to runouts and sealed the game for the Cats.

“We’ve always felt like BG was probably the best switching five man in the country,” Pope said. “I mean, really, how many times have we talked about that? And tonight he got a chance to prove it.”

Fox had another message on Friday, only this one was intended for his boss. Fox told Pope that Kentucky’s chemistry and togetherness were the best they’d been all year. Last week at the SEC tournament, he said, the Cats kind of got their “vibe back.”

Everyone knows their roles now, he said. And there’s no doubt Oweh is the star.

But there is one area Oweh usually isn’t the best at.

Every day at the end of practice, the Cats play a shooting game where everyone lets loose half-court heaves.

“Otega, have you ever …” Pope asked, not able to get out the final words before his senior interrupted.

“Yes,” Oweh said. “I have made a couple.”

“So,” Pope said, a hint of skepticism in his tone, “he’s done this before then.”

“Yeah,” Oweh said confidently. “I’ve been here before.”

“He can be hard-headed,” Fox said back in the locker room, “but that’s one of the reasons he’s good.”