No. 4 Kentucky Falls to Ohio State
Otega Oweh scored 21 points, but No. 4. Kentucky lost to Ohio State 85-65 on Saturday in the CBS Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Oweh made just four of 13 from the floor, but made all 13 of his free throws on his way to those 21 points.
Kentucky (10-2) got 12 points from Andrew Carr and 11 from Jaxson Robinson. However, the Cats struggled shooting for most of the game, making just 17 of 57 (29.8 percent) from the field, including just four of 22 (18.2 percent) from the floor.
Ohio State scored the first three points of the game before UK got an Carr free throw to make it 3-1. The Cats would tie the game on a fast break dunk by Carr and would take the lead, 6-3, on a Robinson three.
After an OSU basket, Lamont Butler cut through the lane for a dunk to make it 8-5. After another Buckeye bucket, Carr converted a layup and subsequent free throw, giving the Cats an 11-7 advantage.
Ohio State scored the next seven to lead 14-11 before UK got a pair of Oweh free throws to get within one, 14-13. After OSU extended the lead to three, Koby Brea drilled a three to tie the game at 16 apiece.
A free throw from Anlsey Almonor gave Kentucky a 17-16 lead, but it lasted just 18 seconds as OSU took the lead back, 18-17. Robinson answered with a basket to give the Cats a 19-18. The teams would then trade baskets, UK’s coming when Amari Williams scored at the rim, giving UK a 21-20 advantage.
Ohio State scored the next eight points to build a 28-21 lead. UK was able to get two Oweh free throws to stop the run, but Ohio State answered with a three to lead 31-23. Oweh hit two more free throws to cut the deficit to six, 31-25. However, OSU scored the next four to lead 35-25.
Carr was fouled on a three and made all three free throws to get UK within 35-28. The teams would trade baskets, with UK getting a Williams dunk, before Ohio State made two free throws, taking a 39-30 lead into the break. Carr led Kentucky with nine points in the first half.
In the second half, Ohio State extended its lead early, scoring the first six points of the half. UK got a layup and free throw from Oweh to make it 45-33. After the Cats got a defensive stop, Oweh was fouled shooting a three, and he made all three free throws, getting UK within nine, 45-36.
The teams traded baskets before Carr converted underneath, and was fouled. He completed the three-point play to make it 49-39. OSU went ahead 51-39 before Brea hit a three and Oweh converted a three-point play to get UK within six, 51-45, with 14:54 to play.
Ohio State responded again, scoring five in a row to build the lead to 56-45. Two more Oweh free throws made it 56-47, but the Buckeyes got a basket and free throw to lead 59-47.
An Oweh putback made it 59-49 before Butler hit two free throws, getting the Cats within eight, 59-51. However, the Buckeyes scored the next seven to lead 66-51. A Robinson three ended the Buckeyes’ run and made it 66-54. The Cats would get closer when Butler got a steal, flipped it to Brandon Garrison who finished with a dunk, making it 66-56 with 7:01 remaining.
After OSU scored to make it 68-56, UK got a free throw from Carr and two from Williams to get within nine, 68-59. Ohio State hit two free throws of their own before Robinson knocked down a pair for the Cats, making it 70-61 with 4:23 to play. OSU would score the next nine points to put the game away.
Kentucky returns to action on Dec. 31, hosting Brown at Rupp Arena. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. and the game can be seen on ESPNU.
