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Oklahoma

Otega Oweh, Kentucky get the best of OU once again, 85-84

Bob Przybyloby: Bob Przybylo03/14/25BPrzybylo
Kobe Elvis11
OU guard Kobe Elvis. (Denny Simmons - Imagn Images)

OU and Kentucky have played 80 minutes against each other this season. It’s 80 minutes separated by two points, but those are the ones that matter.

For the second time, it was Kentucky’s Otega Oweh playing hero to rip the hearts out for the Sooners one more time.

Oweh took it coast-to-coast with 5.6 seconds left to score with 0.5 seconds left in a dramatic 85-84 victory against the Sooners on Thursday night in the SEC Tournament in Nashville.

Oweh finished with 27 points, one fewer than what he had in Norman a couple weeks ago.

It felt ridiculous that even came down to that. OU trailed 66-65 before allowing an 11-0 run by the Wildcasts that felt like put this thing over and done.

But OU did what it has done, kept fighting. Scratching, clawing, turning up the defensive pressure. It was an uneven night for freshman star Jeremiah Fears, but he delivered the goods when it mattered most.

Fears concluded a frenetic and hectic 7-0 run in the final minute with a three-pointer, assist that led to a Jalon Moore dunk and a drive into the lane to give OU the 84-83 lead with the :05.6 left.

The Sooners head into the weekend at 20-13 overall. Definitely feeling comfortable in the NCAA field, just awaiting their destination Sunday evening.

A Luke Northweather three-pointer cut the Kentucky lead to 66-65 when Oweh, initially, made his mark. Just as he did in Norman, Oweh took over. Scoring, assisting, whatever was needed. And OU was in a world of hurt in a road atmosphere in Nashville.

Jalon Moore, perhaps playing with too emotion, had one of his worst shooting nights. A lot of very makeable shots, just did not fall. He finished with 12 points on 5-of-14 shooting and seven rebounds.

Kentucky came out red hot to an 8-0 start. But every time it looked like the Wildcats were about to put the Sooners away, here came another run.

Fears finished with 28 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals. He was only 2-for-11 shooting from 3-point territory. Still, he almost willed OU to the finish line.

Kobe Elvis had 12 points off the bench.

The mission is accomplished, though. It doesn’t feel good right at this moment for OU or its fans, but Porter Moser has the Sooners in the NCAA Tournament.

Moser has a second consecutive 20-win season. And, again, there should be zero sweating the Selection Sunday results.

Where, when and who OU is playing – time to find out Sunday evening.

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