They say you can’t go home again, but nobody told Otega Oweh. And unfortunately for the Oklahoma Sooners, they can't seem to get away from him.
Just two years ago, Oweh was a sophomore in Norman, playing for Porter Moser and developing into what looked like a four-year staple for the Sooners. Enter Mark Pope. The new Kentucky head coach swooped in when Oweh hit the portal and ensured his next chapter would be written in Lexington. Since that moment, Oweh has turned into an absolute nightmare for his former program.
Tonight, the Sooners arrive in Lexington seeing ghosts, hoping to avoid a third straight heartbreak at the hands of their old friend.
The Norman silencer
Oweh must love beating Oklahoma, because his first crack at them last season was the stuff of legends.
In a hostile road environment in Norman, Oweh was unstoppable. He poured in 28 points and 6 rebounds, but it was the final minute where he drove the dagger in.
With Kentucky clinging to a lead, Oklahoma hit free throws to go up by one with 20 seconds left. The crowd was ready to explode. Oweh had other plans.
With just 6 seconds on the clock, he drove the lane and finished a tough layup to silence the arena. A missed runner by Jeremiah Fears and a massive block by Brandon Garrison sealed the 83-82 win, but it was Oweh who walked off the floor as the villain.
The SEC Tournament dagger
If the first game was heartbreak, the rematch in the SEC Tournament was a tragedy for the Sooners.
Fate matched the two teams up again, and the script was eerily similar. Kentucky seemingly had the game in the bag, up 10 with 1:26 to play, before a furious Oklahoma rally (fueled by UK turnovers and missed free throws) gave the Sooners the lead with 6 seconds remaining.
Mark Pope put the ball in Oweh’s hands on the inbound, and once again, he made his former team pay. Oweh drove baseline, rose up, and floated a left-handed shot that found nothing but the bottom of the net as time expired. The shot sent Kentucky to the next round and sent Oklahoma home for the summer.
His final line? 27 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Round 3: Tonight
Tonight, the stage shifts to Rupp Arena. Oweh has already proven he can beat them on the road and on a neutral floor. Can he complete the trifecta in front of the Big Blue Nation? If history is any indication, the Sooners better not leave him open with the game on the line.
Game details
- Matchup: Kentucky Wildcats vs. Oklahoma Sooners
- Tip-off: 9:00 PM EST
- Location: Rupp Arena | Lexington, KY
- TV Channel: ESPN2 Spectrum: 27 DISH: 143 DirecTV: 209
- Live Stream: WatchESPN, ESPN App
- Radio:
- Online: Stream live at UKAthletics.com or on iHeartRadio via WLAP 630.
- Local FM/AM Stations:
- Lexington: 98.1 FM / 630 WLAP
- Louisville: 840 AM WHAS
- London: 103.9 FM WWEL
- Hazard/Pikeville: 101.1 WSGS
- Madisonville: 93.9 FM WKTG
- Streaming:
Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, FuboTV, Sling TV
Oklahoma insider Dekota Gregory said, "Oweh gets to host them on his home court, creating a nightmare scenario for Moser, who's on the hot seat and has players like Oweh getting away to blame for it."