Oweh's buzzer-beater saves Kentucky in OT win over Santa Clara Kentucky narrowly avoided a first-round exit in the NCAA men's tournament after Otega Oweh delivered a game-winning shot in overtime, securing an 89-84 victory over 10-seed Santa Clara. The Wildcats’ star player scored a career-high 35 points, cementing his place in Kentucky’s tournament history with the dramatic finish at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis. The game was a tightly contested battle, with both teams trading momentum throughout. Santa Clara appeared poised to end the contest after freshman Allen Graves hit a 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds left in regulation, giving the Broncos a 79-78 lead. However, Oweh responded by tying the game at 70 in the final 10 seconds of regulation, then answered Graves’ clutch shot with a midcourt heave that forced overtime. The shot, which banked through the net as time expired, became the turning point for Kentucky. Oweh’s performance was pivotal in the second half, where he consistently neutralized Santa Clara’s efforts to take control. After Graves scored the Broncos’ final 11 points in regulation, including the game-tying 3-pointer, Oweh extended the game by hitting a critical shot. His ability to rise to the occasion underscored his importance to the Wildcats’ chances in the tournament. Kentucky coach Mark Pope praised Oweh’s composure under pressure, noting the shot’s trajectory and the eventual outcome. “I was nervous with the trajectory,” Pope said. “But then when it hit the glass in exactly the right spot, I’m like, ‘Oh, this is beautiful. It’s awesome.’” The game’s conclusion was marred by a controversial moment. After Graves’ 3-pointer, Santa Clara coach Herb Sendek attempted to call a timeout to adjust the defense but was not recognized due to the chaos of the play.#kentucky #santa_clara #herb_sendek #allen_graves #oweh_otea
Santa Clara Coach’s Timeout Call Missed as Kentucky Forces Overtime with Buzzer-Beater In a dramatic first-round NCAA Tournament clash, seventh-seeded Kentucky edged out 10th-seeded Santa Clara 89-84 in overtime, with a pivotal moment occurring in the final seconds of regulation. Santa Clara’s Allen Graves hit a game-winning 3-pointer to give his team a 73-70 lead with two seconds remaining. However, Kentucky’s Otega Oweh responded with a game-tying 3-pointer of his own, sending the game into overtime. Santa Clara coach Herb Sendek attempted to call a timeout immediately after Graves’ shot, aiming to reset his defense or strategize a response. The timeout was requested just moments after the shot, but the referee, already sprinting toward the opposing team’s inbound, did not acknowledge the call. Without the timeout, Kentucky’s Oweh was able to drive down the floor unimpeded and bank in the tying shot, altering the game’s outcome. Sendek later described the situation as a “likely response” after a go-ahead 3-pointer, noting that coaches are permitted to call timeouts on dead balls. He explained that if the timeout had been granted, he could have adjusted his defensive setup or instructed his team to foul Kentucky, potentially sending them to the free-throw line. “I tried to do that, and I was successful in doing, other than it wasn’t acknowledged,” he said. The missed timeout became a focal point of analysis, particularly for Santa Clara, which made its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1996. The Broncos, who finished the season 26-9 and reached the WCC championship game for the first time since 2007, saw their momentum vanish in an instant. Senior forward Elijah Mahi admitted the chaos of the moment left his team scrambling. “Honestly, there was just so much going on in that moment,” he said.#kentucky #santa_clara #herb_sendek #otega_oweh #allen_graves
