Kentucky Tops Santa Clara as Otega Oweh’s Buzzer Beater With .02 on the Clock Sends Game to OT

“I was just trying to get the ball out quick and get as close as I can to the goal,” Oweh said. “I was looking at the clock the whole time. Obviously they hit a three3, so we had to hit a three3. So I was really just trying to get a shot off and just not wanting the season to end, just locking in, trying to make the shot.”

A shot for the ages, and a sequence reminiscent of Marcus Paige and Kris Jenkins exchanging clutch shots in the final seconds of the 2016 national championship game, perhaps without the same stakes but the same attendant swings of emotion.

Kentucky made it count by pulling away late in overtime, Ben Garrison twice swatting ill-advised Sash Gavalyugov three3-point attempts in the final minute for easy Kentucky baskets as the No. 7 Wildcats (22-13) advanced to play the winner of No. 2 Iowa State and No. 15 Tennessee State in St. Louis on Sunday.

“One of the things I was really proud of was there was no ‘pause, throw your hands up, feel sorry for yourself’ reaction from our guys,” Kentucky coach Mark Pope said. “They scrambled, got the ball and Otega raced down the floor and stopped right in front of me. As he raised up, he said, ‘That’sthat’s a bucket,’ and threw it in off the glass.”

Elijah Mahi had 20 points to lead the Broncos (26-9), who came back from seven points down in the second half and recovered from the shock of Oweh’s shot to hold a two-point lead midwayhalfway through overtime.

Even without the now-famous shot, Oweh’s game was one for the record books. With 35 points, 8eight rebounds and 7seven assists, it was the first time a player recorded those stats in an NCAA Tournament game since Larry Bird against DePaul in the 1979 Final Four, and only Oweh, Bird, Bill Bradley and Oscar Robertson have gone 35/8/7 in the tournament. And Oweh saved his best for last, scoring 28 of his points in the second half and overtime.

Kentucky had gone almost five minutes without a field goal late in regulation and was down 70-68 when Oweh took a looping pass from Colin Chandler that freed him on the right block. Oweh spun under the basket for a dunk to tie the score with 9 seconds to play. Santa Clara went right back up the court and Graves pulled up without hesitation to put the Broncos ahead.

“There were a lot of emotions involved in that play,” Graves said. “Obviously hitting a shot like that was exciting, and then you kind of lose your man maybe.”

While Graves and his teammates were celebrating with their backs to the ball, and Herb Sendek tried to call timeout to set up his defense, Kentucky quickly inbounded the ball to Oweh, who ran past the Santa Clara bench into position amid the chaos. Sendek could only watch at that point.

“I unequivocally called timeout. But they didn’t grant it,” Sendek said. “I mean, I think the video evidence is clear. And anybody is able to pull it up. So, you know, which, you know, is a likely response after Allen hits the three that the coach would be calling timeout to set the defense, which I tried to do, and I was successful in doing, other than it wasn’t acknowledged or recognized. And so that’s what happened.”

While other Santa Clara players were just realizing the ball was back in play, Galvalyugov had sprinted downcourt after setting up Graves’ shot. He spotted Oweh coming with the ball and stepped toward him in a desperate challenge. Oweh, unfazed, threw up his prayer at the very last moment.

“I didn’t call ‘bank.’ I just got it up out of my hands,” Oweh said. “It’s March. I feel like that’s just what happens. It’s crazy. I just tried to get the shot up. Obviously I tried to make it, but it found its way to the backboard.”

The answer came with a thunk, the ball bouncing off the top of the square and into March history.