Otega Oweh of Kentucky executed a remarkable NCAA tournament buzzer-beater, extending the contest into overtime, which ultimately led to the No. 7 Wildcats’ 89-84 triumph against the No. 10 Santa Clara squad.
Following Allen Graves’ successful 3-point shot for Santa Clara, which put the Broncos ahead 73-70 with only 2.4 seconds remaining, Oweh remarkably sank a game-leveling 3-pointer off the backboard from just beyond mid-court as the clock ran out.
Observe the play. The basketball had left Oweh’s grasp with merely 0.2 seconds on the clock.
Despite having three timeouts left after Graves’ score, Santa Clara’s coach, Herb Sendek, attempted to call a stoppage of play before Kentucky could advance the ball. However, the official positioned along the sideline promptly turned and ran upcourt, failing to notice Sendek’s urgent signals.
Subsequently, the Wildcats initiated the overtime period with an uninterrupted 8-0 scoring spree. From a 79-77 disadvantage with 2 minutes and 37 seconds remaining in the additional period, Kentucky transformed their deficit into a six-point advantage, sealing the victory against the Broncos. Kentucky concluded the match successfully converting their last five attempts.
Following a modest seven points in the first half, Oweh significantly elevated his performance throughout the concluding 25 minutes. He amassed a total of 35 points, contributing 22 in the second half and an additional six during overtime. When CBS reporters inquired post-game whether this constituted his career-best performance, Oweh promptly affirmed.
“Honestly, I won’t deny it, this is likely the pinnacle so far,” Oweh stated. “That’s the essence of March, though. The most exceptional contests unfold during this period of the year, and it was exhilarating. I’m pleased we managed to secure the win.”
Oweh achieved 11 successful shots out of 24 attempts from the field, participating for 43 of the contest’s 45 minutes. Additionally, he secured eight rebounds and distributed seven assists, an exceptional display that probably enhanced his prospects for the NBA Draft. He now stands as only the third athlete in NCAA tournament history to record at least 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists across multiple first-round matches, and the first to reach or surpass a stat line of 35 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists since Larry Bird accomplished it in the 1979 NCAA tournament.
In the previous season, Oweh contributed 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists during Kentucky’s initial tournament victory against Troy.
This triumph in overtime averted a humiliating first-round defeat for one of college basketball’s most financially invested teams, marking what would have been their third such upset as a higher seed within the last five campaigns.
Following two first-round eliminations in three seasons under John Calipari, Kentucky terminated its association with the veteran coach after the 2024 season, subsequently recruiting former Kentucky athlete and BYU mentor Mark Pope.
During the 2025 season, Kentucky progressed to the Sweet 16 as a No. 3 seed prior to their elimination by Tennessee.
The current season saw the Wildcats commence at the ninth position in the AP Top 25. Their ranking never surpassed this initial spot, and they concluded the SEC standings in ninth place, undeniably marking a subpar regular season. Nevertheless, a significant portion of that inconsistent performance could be overlooked if Oweh’s last-second heroics ignite a substantial advancement in the tournament.
