Otega Oweh has struggled to get rolling against Tennessee

Kentucky senior Otega Oweh is having a career season in 2025-26. The former Oklahoma transfer is setting career highs in points (17.0), assists (2.6), steals (1.8), and two-point shooting percentage (52.8%). The senior has taken on a big offensive load this season and is delivering. Oweh is entering Saturday’s game riding a streak of four consecutive games of 20-plus points. Yet, the preseason SEC Player of the Year is still looking for his first big scoring performance against Tennessee.

Oweh is averaging 16.5 points on .486/.353/.757 shooting splits at Kentucky over 59 games. The veteran has come well short of those averages in four career games against Tennessee.

Game	Points	Two-Point Shooting	Three-Point Shooting	Free Throw Shooting
Kentucky at Tennessee (Jan. 28, 2025)	14	4-of-10	0-of-1	6-of-9
Tennessee at Kentucky (Feb. 11, 2025)	13	3-of-10	1-of-1	4-of-6
Kentucky vs. Tennessee (March 28, 2025)	13	5-of-11	0-of-1	3-of-4
Kentucky at Tennessee (Jan. 17, 2026)	12	2-of-6	1-of-5	5-of-9

Otega Oweh is averaging just 13 points per game on 37.8% shooting from two, 25% shooting from three, and 64.3% shooting at the line. All those numbers are much lower than his career averages at Kentucky. For some reason, Kentucky’s top scorer has struggled to get rolling against the Vols. The inefficient scoring has not stopped UK from recording a 3-1 record against Tennessee over the last two seasons, but Rick Barnes‘ defense has been able to take away Kentucky’s top scorer.

In the win over Tennessee earlier this season, Otega Oweh did not get going on the offensive end until crunch time. The Vols typically have a defensive plan that neutralizes Oweh. Kentucky could need some other scoring threats to emerge on Saturday night at Rupp Arena.

Otega Oweh’s next big scoring output against Tennessee will be his first. The senior has reached at least 20 points against nine SEC teams. Can he get there against a 10th in a fourth attempt on Saturday?