Otega Oweh game-winner leads Kentucky past Oklahoma: 4 things to know and postgame cheers

Kentucky prevails 83-82 in nail-biting victory at Oklahoma

The Kentucky Wildcats pulled a victory out of a hat in Norman with an 83-82 win over the Oklahoma Sooners on Wednesday night.

The Cats were the recipients of good news before the game (see below), and that propelled them to a strong start. However, defensive issues persisted, and despite the really good offensive half, it was just as bad on the defensive end. Kentucky took a 43-41 lead into the half.

After the break, Kentucky just couldn’t pull away, even though it had every chance, and the Sooners made them pay. Porter Moser’s squad, with a potential NCAA Tournament berth on the line, took advantage of Kentucky’s defensive lapses time and time again.

A huge second half from a former Sooner proved to be the difference, however, as the Cats pulled out an improbable victory.

Next up, the Cats return to Lexington on Saturday to take on the No. 1 team in the country—the Auburn Tigers.

Butler and Robinson return

The Cats haven’t had Lamont Butler and Jaxson Robinson in the starting lineup together in almost three weeks. Butler has been dealing with a shoulder injury, and Robinson a wrist injury.

However, both players made their way back to the floor and the starting five in this one. They, of course, had some rust to knock off, but it was nice to finally see the Cats close to full strength.

The timing was perfect as it allowed Mark Pope to develop his bench and has helped Amari Williams realize his full potential during their absence, but it also means that Kentucky has a chance to get both guys back into rhythm/shape.

The biggest concern with guys coming back late in the season (so close to postseason play) is the potential for some chemistry issues while the team and the individual players adjust. While it looked like Kentucky will have plenty of time to get reacclimated to having everybody back, now it’s time for the bad news.

Robinson did not return to the game during the second half as he iced his wrist. It’s unclear the severity of the potential reinjury or whether it was just precautionary, but nothing obvious happened to reaggravate the wrist. Let’s just hope for the best.

Foul trouble

Foul trouble was the name of the game. It’s not a reach to say that this game could’ve been well in hand before the halftime buzzer if not for the seemingly one-sided officiating. It’s a road game in the SEC, though, so what’s new?

Wiliams picked up two fouls early. He actually picked up his third in the first half, but later on, the foul was attributed to Butler instead, which gave him two as well. Williams then picked up his third foul early in the second half, and Butler ended up fouling out with more than four minutes remaining in the game.

Meanwhile, Robinson and Andrew Carr also picked up two first half fouls. Yes, that’s four starting Wildcats with two fouls in the first 20 minutes alone. The offense played well despite the foul trouble, but the defense largely suffered.

The Cats had to be careful not to get more guys in foul trouble and the ones that already had two played sparingly and were cautious when doing so. Based on how the SEC has been officiated to this point in the season — not many fouls are called — it was frustrating to see the sudden switch in philosophies.

BG comes to play

Brandon Garrison has been the definition of inconsistent this season, but we saw the potential long-term upside in this game. The Oklahoma State transfer was excellent.

Garrison did it on both ends of the court. He scored well and while he didn’t really rebound, he did force some turnovers and block a few shots for good measure. The inconsistency with BG is frustrating, but he’s oozing with potential.

Will he ever reach that potential? Will he do it at UK, in the pros, or with another team? Those questions remain to be answered, but it’s fun to dream what this kid could become.

The big man finished with 12 points, four rebounds, three steals, and three blocks.

Oweh explodes

You could tell this game just meant more to Otega Oweh, a transfer from Oklahoma. He had friends and former coaches on the opposite sideline and left for “greener pastures.”

He was aggressive from the tip, but he was clearly playing with emotion and not under control. However, as the game progressed and the Sooners extended their lead in the second half, Oweh made it a point to remind everyone that he made the right decision.

Oweh did everything he could in the second half to carry the Cats to victory. He only scored five points on 2-7 shooting in the first half, but he exploded for 23 points on 10-14 shooting in the second half. That included a run of scoring 21 of UK’s last 23 points to end the game.

The scoring outburst marked a career high for Oweh in Norman, despite having already played two full seasons there. It was the perfect time for it, as Kentucky didn’t stand a chance without that incredible performance. He absolutely willed the Cats to victory.

Let’s go get another Saturday. Go CATS!