Otega Oweh's performance on Friday night was one for the ages, placing him in the elite company of basketball legends. In Kentucky's thrilling 89-84 overtime victory against Santa Clara, the senior guard delivered a career-high 35 points, along with eight rebounds, seven assists, a steal, and a block over 43 minutes.
This stat line makes Oweh only the fourth player in NCAA Tournament history to achieve such numbers, joining the ranks of Oscar Robertson, Bill Bradley, and Larry Bird. And let's not forget his clutch buzzer-beating three-pointer that pushed the game into overtime.
Reflecting on the game, Oweh told CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein, “Nah, I’m not gonna lie. That was probably the best one yet.
That’s what March is, though. All the best games happen at this time of the year and it was a blast.
I’m just glad we got to pull it out.”
As the clock ticked down, Santa Clara’s Allen Graves hit a three-pointer that seemed to seal Kentucky's fate. But with just over two seconds left, Oweh launched a shot that banked in, sending the Wildcats into overtime. Kentucky then outscored Santa Clara 16-11 in the extra period to secure the win.
“I was trying to get as close as possible to make the shot,” Oweh explained. “I don’t know, it just went in.
It’s March Madness. That’s the type of vibe it is.”
Oweh's 35-point explosion also etched his name into Kentucky's history books. With 1,237 career points in just two seasons, he now holds the record for the most points by a UK player in such a short span, placing him among the top 40 scorers in the program's storied history. And with the Wildcats still alive in the tournament, Oweh has the chance to climb even higher.
“We don’t wanna go home,” Oweh added. “We ready.
We’re trying to keep on going. We got a run we trying to make.
That’s what had to happen for us to keep on going.”
Kentucky fans can certainly hope that Oweh’s heroics are just the beginning of a memorable March run.