With time on their side, Wildcats plan most memorable -- and best -- year of their basketball lives

Where do you find optimism when you haven’t earned a single win of substance with four name-brand losses to go with six cupcake victories — the latest a 103-67 blowout against NC Central, one of the worst teams in college basketball? These Kentucky Wildcats find it within each other, no matter the outside noise growing louder and louder, hitting its peak with boos showered down in Nashville.

That’s not to say any of this was expected or wanted, obviously, but all successful seasons aren’t created equally. Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom and dig yourself out of the hole before you can realize your true potential, and that’s where they are now.

It’s going to lead to an all-time turnaround, one we all talk about years and years down the road and the best, most memorable season of their lives.

“I’m surprised, but everything happens for a reason,” Otega Oweh said following the 36-point win to move to 6-4 on the year. “I feel like it’s gonna be one of the most remembered years for all of us individually, because we’re gonna turn it around.

“It’s gonna end up being the best year. It wasn’t the prettiest start, so I feel like that’s just something we gotta look at.”

What gives him that kind of confidence, knowing their early struggles and how broken it all felt in real time? Oweh sees all of the individual pieces shine every day in practice and — inconsistently, of course — in games. Five different Wildcats scored in double figures against NC Central with three earning at least six buckets, led by Oweh himself with 21 points, seven rebounds and four steals in his best performance of the season.

They haven’t come together quite yet against serious competition, but everything they need is right there in that locker room. And the runway is long, even 10 games into the year.

“I know, individually, we’re great. Individually, we’re great,” he said. “It’s a matter of us playing together and having that one. I feel like once we get one, we’re about to start rolling. On top of that, it’s still early. We still got three months left.”

Criticism is strong and pessimism is growing — all fair, obviously — but at the end of the day, the only people who make the shots and get the defensive stops believe in themselves. That faith is all that matters.

Turning toward one another and digging into that potential is their path to greatness, whether any of it feels possible to the general public right now or not. They’re responsible for putting themselves in this position, but they’re also responsible for getting themselves out of it.

And they’re ready for the challenge.

“We just know that it’s only us. It’s only us, you feel me?” Oweh said. “Obviously, win or lose, there’s always gonna be comments on what we could’ve done better. We’ve been losing, so it’s definitely on us. We just gotta lean into each other, really.”

Otega Oweh says this will be a year to be remembered. pic.twitter.com/HIHK4vKITQ

— KSR (@KSRonX) December 10, 2025

An old friend once said, “It’s gonna be a great story” before going on one of the most remarkable runs in Kentucky basketball history.

Is this Otega Oweh’s version of calling that same shot?