Late rally falls short: Oweh’s game-winning shot hands OU an 85-84 loss
On Wednesday night, the Sooners secured an 81-75 win over Georgia, advancing to the second round of the SEC Tournament where they faced Kentucky just 24 hours later.
With their NCAA Tournament hopes already solidified, Oklahoma continued its revenge tour, this time against a Wildcats team that edged them out by one point in Norman back in February in a game that ended in heated fashion.
Though technically a neutral site, Big Blue Nation turned the arena into a road environment for the Sooners, and Kentucky fed off the energy early, jumping out to an 8-0 run in the first two minutes.
Oklahoma weathered the storm, settled in, and eventually took the lead. Despite shooting just 4-15 (26.7 percent) from behind the arc and dealing with frontcourt foul trouble from Mohamed Wague, the Sooners trailed only 40-38 at halftime.
The second half remained a back and forth battle until Kentucky strung together a quick 6-0 run, taking a 54-48 lead with 13:03 remaining. Fortunately for the Sooners, the Wildcats could not create much separation, and Oklahoma clawed back to make it a 66-65 game with 6:58 left to play.
Then Otega Oweh took over. He led Kentucky on an 11-0 run, pushing the Wildcats’ lead to 77-65 with 4:30 remaining. It looked like they would close it out, but Jeremiah Fears and the Sooners had other plans.
Oklahoma trailed by six with 41 seconds left when Fears drilled a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 83-80. On the next possession, he stole the ball from Andrew Carr and found Jalon Moore for a dunk, making it a one-point game.
Then Fears came up with another steal and converted a driving layup at the rim, giving Oklahoma an improbable 84-83 lead after trailing by six just moments earlier.
With six seconds left, the Wildcats had one final chance and Oweh delivered. He drove downhill, attacked the rim through three defenders, and finished to lift Kentucky to an 85-84 win in an SEC Tournament classic.
NOTES
– Fears scored 29 points to lead the Sooners to a win over Georgia 24 hours prior to this game against Kentucky. He shot the ball well from deep in that game, making four three-pointers, but that success didn’t carry over into the first half against the Wildcats.
He shot just 1-8 from three in the opening 20 minutes but still managed 12 points, three rebounds, two assists, and only one turnover. In the second half, he found his rhythm, scoring 16 points and dishing out three assists on 5-9 shooting.
Fears finished with 28 points, five assists, four rebounds, three steals, and just one turnover. He shot 10-22 from the field, 2-11 from deep, and 6-7 from the free throw line. His final minute — featuring a three-pointer, two steals, an assist, two free throws, and a go-ahead layup — was incredible but unfortunately overshadowed by Oweh’s game-winner.
– Jalon Moore posted 12 points and seven rebounds on 5-14 shooting from the field and 2-3 from deep. He was quiet for most of the night but delivered clutch buckets down the stretch.
– Mohamed Wague struggled with foul trouble in the first half but still managed to play 17 minutes, finishing with nine points and six rebounds on 3-4 shooting. Glenn Taylor also posted nine points, shooting 3-5 from the field and 2-3 from deep. Luke Northweather stepped up off the bench when Wague was in foul trouble, scoring six points and knocking down two three-pointers.
– Oklahoma has been playing its best basketball of the season lately, and a big reason for that is the surge from Kobe Elvis. He had a strong first half, scoring 10 points on 3-5 shooting from the field and 1-2 from deep.
Elvis finished with 12 points, four assists, and three rebounds on 4-9 shooting from the field and 1-4 from deep.
– His former teammate, Koby Brea, had a strong night for Kentucky, posting 22 points and four rebounds on 8-12 shooting from the field and 4-7 from three. But it was the man who has now hit two game-winners against Oklahoma — Oweh — who led the way for the Wildcats with 27 points, five assists, and four rebounds on 8-14 shooting.
– Now, the Sooners, who have undoubtedly done enough to make the NCAA Tournament, will wait to hear their name called for the first time in the Porter Moser era on Sunday. As of now, they could land anywhere from safely in the field to the First Four in Dayton — making this loss sting even more.
Not an OUInsider.com premium member? Sign up today to get loads of inside information on Oklahoma football, softball, basketball, and recruiting, all for just a few dollars a month. ClickHERE to get started!
Follow us on Twitter @OUInsider and on Instagram @ouinsiderofficial!
Subscribe on YouTube by clicking herefor daily video content on all things Oklahoma!
-
OU basketball eliminated by Kentucky in SEC tournament on another late Otega Oweh shot
OU fell to Kentucky 85-84 in the second round of the SEC tournament Thursday night at Bridgestone Arena. The Wildcats advance to face No. 3-seeded Alabama in the quarterfinals.Yahoo Sports - 11h -
UK's Oweh beats buzzer, burns ex-team OU again
Otega Oweh hit the winning shot against his former school again, sinking a baseline jumper with 0.5 seconds left to lift Kentucky past Oklahoma 85-84 in the SEC tournament.ESPN - 3h -
Otega Oweh scores last shot again as No. 15 Kentucky sends Oklahoma home from 1st SEC Tourney
Otega Oweh made a baseline jumper with 0.5 seconds left after No. 15 Kentucky had blown a late lead in the final minutes, and the Wildcats beat Oklahoma 85-84 on Thursday night to advance to the ...Yahoo Sports - 11h -
WATCH: How Andrew Carr reacted to Otega Oweh's game-winning shot for Kentucky vs Oklahoma
Here's how Andrew Carr reacted to Otega Oweh's game-winning shot for Kentucky basketball vs. Oklahoma.Yahoo Sports - 3h -
Girls basketball tournament: Eastview’s rally falls short in 4A semifinal loss to Hopkins
Eastview played well for large segments of Thursday’s Class 4A semifinal at Williams Arena. But the beginning and end of the game? Well, those two segments belonged to the Royals. A scintillating ...Yahoo Sports - 13h -
Oklahoma Sooners eliminated from SEC Tournament on Otega Oweh's last-second shot
The Oklahoma Sooners had a chance to upset the Kentucky Wildcats, but once again, Otega Oweh came through clutch to eliminate OU from SEC tournamentYahoo Sports - 10h -
Bennett's power-play goals lift short-handed Panthers over Maple Leafs 3-2
Sam Bennett scored power-play goals late in each of the first two periods, Sergei Bobrovsky made 23 saves and the short-handed Florida Panthers beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Thursday night ...Yahoo Sports - 11h -
USC's upset bid falls frustratingly short in season-ending loss to Purdue
After leading for a good portion of the game, USC men's basketball can't hold on in the final minute, losing 76-71 to Purdue in the Big Ten tournament.Yahoo Sports - 13h -
Nets blow another late lead and fall in Chicago, 116-110
The Nets fell to the Chicago Bulls, 116-110, on Thursday at the United Center in Chicago. Brooklyn, which fell to 22-44 with the loss, is now six games behind Chicago for 10th place in the Eastern ...Yahoo Sports - 13h
More from Yahoo Sports
-
Cowboys Beef: DeMarcus Lawrence vs Micah Parsons Breakdown + NFL Free Agency Winners & Losers | Inside Coverage
The Inside Coverage crew breaks down the beef between DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons and discusses the winners and losers of NFL free agency.Yahoo Sports - 5m -
As Cooper Kupp decision nears, 2 teams seem to be front runners
Cooper Kupp's decision is drawing close and there seems to be two teams who are considered the favorites.Yahoo Sports - 8m -
The Bearcat Tip Off Talk Podcast: Cole Baughman
The Bearcat Tip Off Talk Podcast: Cole BaughmanYahoo Sports - 9m -
After struggling in Hong Kong because he might've had 'a rib out,' Dustin Johnson rallies
Dustin Johnson is getting to the age where pains seem to surface out of nowhere, sometimes even just after a good night's rest.Yahoo Sports - 12m -
Jordan Reid: Tennessee Titans most likely to draft a quarterback in Round 1
ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid says the Tennessee Titans are the most likely team to draft a quarterback in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.Yahoo Sports - 12m
More in Sports
-
Cowboys Beef: DeMarcus Lawrence vs Micah Parsons Breakdown + NFL Free Agency Winners & Losers | Inside Coverage
The Inside Coverage crew breaks down the beef between DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons and discusses the winners and losers of NFL free agency.Yahoo Sports - 5m -
As Cooper Kupp decision nears, 2 teams seem to be front runners
Cooper Kupp's decision is drawing close and there seems to be two teams who are considered the favorites.Yahoo Sports - 8m -
The Bearcat Tip Off Talk Podcast: Cole Baughman
The Bearcat Tip Off Talk Podcast: Cole BaughmanYahoo Sports - 9m -
After struggling in Hong Kong because he might've had 'a rib out,' Dustin Johnson rallies
Dustin Johnson is getting to the age where pains seem to surface out of nowhere, sometimes even just after a good night's rest.Yahoo Sports - 12m -
Jordan Reid: Tennessee Titans most likely to draft a quarterback in Round 1
ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid says the Tennessee Titans are the most likely team to draft a quarterback in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.Yahoo Sports - 12m