Big Blue Preview: Kentucky at Oklahoma
As No. 17 Kentucky visits Oklahoma on Wednesday night (9 p.m. ET, SEC Network), it will be some sort of homecoming for one Wildcat in particular.
Otega Oweh played his first two seasons of college basketball for the Sooners, and under OU head coach Porter Moser. He played in 28 games as a freshman, including nine starts, and averaged 4.8 points per game. As a sophomore, he started in 28 of 32 games played and averaged 11.4 points per outing. On Tuesday, Oweh talked about his return to the Lloyd Noble Center.
“I’m excited but I’m just treating it like every other game,” Oweh said. “Another game that we have to win, so I’m looking at it like that.”
Oweh, who saw his streak of double-figure scoring games stopped at 26 on Saturday, knows that not placing special emphasis on this particular game will be the best way to handle the situation.
“It’s important,” he said. “Since the beginning of the season, I’ve been trying to focus on one game at a time and putting all of my effort into each game. I’m looking at (this game) as the same.”
As for this year’s Sooners’ team, Oweh played with a couple of the players in addition to playing for Moser.
“It’s a brand new team,” he said. “I know Coach Moser, he’s a big X’s and O’s guy, so he’s going to make sure he does his research. We just have to be ready to fight.”
Kentucky is coming off a 96-83 loss at No. 4 Alabama on Saturday. After jumping out to a big early lead, the latter part of the first half cost the Cats. It’s something that has been an issue all year, and Oweh believes that UK has the answer to make it right.
“I think that’s stuff we have to fix. It’s more of an energy thing and a pride thing,” he said. “I think we have to take it on our shoulders more. Like if we start the game off hot, we can’t do it in spurts, it has to be a full 40 minutes. You can’t let those moments happen. We have to do a better job as players of keeping our energy up.”
Kentucky will be playing in the state of Oklahoma for the first time ever. UK is 3-0 all-time against the Sooners, winning in 1947 and 1987 in Lexington, then in the Maui Invitational in 2010.
Wildcats Fall at Alabama
Koby Brea registered his fourth 20-point outing this season, and Amari Williams notched his ninth double-double, but Kentucky lost at No. 4 Alabama on Saturday, 96-83.
Andrew Carr has 17 points, while Travis Perry recorded a career-high 12 points.
Kentucky led for the majority of the first half, with the Cats’ biggest lead coming at 9:37 to go in the opening frame at 30-18. From there, Alabama finished the half on an extended 29-10 run to lead at intermission, 47-40.
The Wildcats would get within three points on multiple occasions but were unable to overtake the Crimson Tide, who were led by 30 points from Mark Sears.
Some additional notes from the game:
• Alabama shot 52.5 percent from the field. UK is 1-4 this year when allowing opponents to shoot over 50 percent
• UK is now 7-2 against AP Top-15 opponents this season, both losses coming to Alabama
• Kentucky had 13 steals in the contest, the team’s most in an SEC game this season and tied for the second most by the Wildcats across all games in 2024-25
• The Cats played without Lamont Butler, Jaxson Robinson and Kerr Kriisa. UK has played only seven games at full strength this season
• Amari Williams has now scored at least 17 points in three consecutive games, the first time he has done so in his college career
• Williams is the first Kentucky player with at least 17 points, 11 rebounds and six assists since Jack Givens at Alabama on Jan. 29, 1977
• The 17-11-6 game for Williams is the first by a 7-footer in the SEC dating back to 1996-97
Who’s in the House Tonight? UK!
Opposing coaches have praised UK’s offensive versatility, flow and pace all season long. Buzz Williams of Texas A&M emphasized the enjoyment he had scouting the Cats and indicated UK’s offense could lead Kentucky into contention for a national title.
Part of the Wildcats’ success has been the fact that it could be any one player’s night that night. The only common theme is that UK will show up in the biggest of moments.
Otega Oweh is UK’s leading scorer, however, he has only been Kentucky’s leader in points in one its marquee victories.
A snapshot of UK’s highlights in the biggest wins of the year:
• #6 Duke: (Andrew Carr: 17 points, six rebounds, three assists, one block; Otega Oweh: 15 points, six boards, three assists, two steals; Amari Williams 10 points, eight rebounds, two blocks)
• #7 Gonzaga (Andrew Carr: 19 points, seven rebounds, three assists, one block; Jaxson Robinson: 18 points, three rebounds, five assists; Brandon Garrison: 10 points, nine rebounds)
• Louisville (Lamont Butler: 33 points, six assists, was 10 for 10 from the field; Andrew Carr: 10 points, nine rebounds, two blocks)
• #6 Florida (Koby Brea: 23 points, seven 3-pointers; Lamont Butler: 19 points, eight assists, three steals; Amari Williams: 15 points, eight rebounds, one block)
• #14 Mississippi State (Jaxson Robinson: 27 points, three rebounds, two assists; Otega Oweh: 15 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals; Ansley Almonor: 11 points, three 3-pointers in second half)
• #11 Texas A&M (Jaxson Robinson; 22 points, eight rebounds, two assists; Amari Williams: eight points, 12 rebounds, four assists; Travis Perry: six points, all in the second half)
• at #8 Tennessee (Koby Brea: 18 points, 5-of-5 shooting; Amari Williams 10 points, 15 rebounds, four assists; Jaxson Robinson: 17 points, four 3s)
• home vs. #5 Tennessee (Ansley Almonor: 13 points, 4-of-5 shooting; Otega Oweh: 13 points, six rebounds, two blocks; Trent Noah: 11 points, three 3s)
