In a game where Kam Williams hit eight three-pointers and Kentucky scored 99 points, it would be easy to overlook what Otega Oweh did on Tuesday afternoon.
That would be a mistake.
While the shooters were getting the glory, Oweh was putting on a playmaking clinic that quietly held the entire offense together. The box score for the Oklahoma transfer is absurd: 10 points, 10 assists, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, and 0 turnovers.
He was two rebounds away from a triple-double, and he did it without making a single mistake with the basketball.
Mark Pope says Otega Oweh was 'absolutely fantastic'
Mark Pope couldn't stop raving about Oweh's floor game in the postgame press conference. With Bellarmine playing a soft zone, Kentucky needed someone who could penetrate the gaps and force the defense to collapse.
Oweh took that job personally.
"He’s been trying to find some space to be a [playmaker]," Pope said. "He did it by getting downhill and making plays for guys... I thought he was absolutely fantastic."
Pope specifically highlighted Oweh’s "quick turn," the ability to catch the ball, instantly face up, and attack before the defense can reset. That split-second aggression is what created so many open looks for Kam Williams and Denzel Aberdeen.
Can Otega Oweh be the most complete guard in the SEC?
We knew Oweh was a physical defender. We knew he could finish at the rim. But seeing him drop 10 assists in a single game unlocks a new dimension for this Kentucky team.
If Oweh can be a legitimate secondary creator, someone who can run the offense when Jaland Lowe is off the ball or injured, it makes Kentucky significantly harder to guard. You can't just press up on the shooters if Oweh is going to blow past you and find the open man every time.
Kam Williams got the headlines, but Otega Oweh was the engine. And heading into the SEC gauntlet, having an engine that reliable is everything.