No. 15 Kentucky survived a furious late-game rally from Oklahoma as Otega Oweh hit a baseline jumper with 0.5 seconds left, lifting the Wildcats to an 85-84 victory in the second round of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Tournament on Thursday night. The Wildcats, who led by as many as 12 in the second half and by 10 with just 1:20 remaining, found themselves trailing after a dramatic push from the Sooners. However, Oweh’s heroics at the buzzer secured Kentucky’s third straight win and a spot in the quarterfinals, where they will face No. 5 Alabama.
Oweh, who transferred from Oklahoma to Kentucky, led the Wildcats (22-10) with 27 points, including the game-winner against his former squad. His performance marked the second time this season he delivered in crunch time against the Sooners. Koby Brea added 22 points for Kentucky, while Andrew Carr chipped in 11.
For Oklahoma (20-13), freshman guard Jeremiah Fears was sensational, scoring a game-high 28 points, including the basket that gave the Sooners an 84-83 lead with 5.6 seconds left. However, it was not enough to stop Kentucky from advancing in the tournament.
Despite leading for much of the game, Kentucky nearly suffered a disastrous collapse. Up 77-65 with 4:31 remaining, the Wildcats struggled to contain Fears, who scored seven straight points down the stretch to help Oklahoma claw back into the game. His layup with 5.6 seconds remaining gave the Sooners their first lead since the 15:51 mark of the second half.
But Kentucky responded. With the game on the line, the Wildcats put the ball in Oweh’s hands, and he delivered, nailing a baseline jumper over two defenders with just 0.5 seconds left. Oklahoma’s last-ditch attempt fell short, sealing Kentucky’s dramatic victory.
The Sooners’ first SEC Tournament experience ended in heartbreak, marking their second loss to Kentucky this season and fifth all-time. Despite a strong showing, they failed to secure their first-ever win against the Wildcats. Additionally, Oklahoma suffered its first neutral-court loss of the season after winning its previous six.
The Wildcats, who have won an SEC-record 31 tournament championships, are still chasing their first title since 2018. This was only their second-ever appearance in the second round of the tournament, and they had to battle adversity as starting guard Lamont Butler played just eight minutes before leaving with a right shoulder injury.
Fears’ seven-point run, capped by his late layup, momentarily gave Oklahoma control. However, Oweh’s last-second jumper proved to be the defining moment, once again breaking the hearts of Sooners fans.
The Sooners couldn’t contain Oweh when it mattered most. His game-winning shot ensured that Kentucky would get a third chance this season to take down Alabama, a team that won both regular-season meetings.
Oklahoma, now 1-1 in its SEC Tournament debut, will await its NCAA Tournament fate. Meanwhile, Kentucky advances to the quarterfinals to face third-seeded Alabama on Friday night, looking to avenge its regular-season losses and continue its SEC Tournament run.
