Oweh, Garrison Lead Cats Past Tigers in SEC Tournament
Otega Oweh scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds as Kentucky beat LSU 87-82 in the first round of the 2026 Southeastern Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
Brandon Garrison had a big game off the bench for the Cats. The junior had 17 points, including two three-point baskets, in addition to five rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocked shots.
Kentucky (20-12) got 16 points from Denzel Aberdeen. Kam Williams returned from injury and scored three points in 17 minutes of action.
LSU scored the first four points of the game before Oweh got UK on the board. Andrija Jelavic scored four in a row to give the Cats a 6-4 advantage, but LSU hit a three to take the lead back.
A Jelavic three gave Kentucky a 9-7 lead, but the Tigers answered with a three of their own. A Collin Chandler basket gave UK an 11-10 lead but LSU made two free throws to take the lead back once again. An Oweh three-point play gave UK a 14-12 lead but LSU would scored to tie the game.
Garrison scored in the lane but the Tigers hit a three to lead 17-16. That’s when Kentucky got two baskets from Oweh and a three from Williams to complete a 7-0 run that gave the Cats a 23-17 lead. After two LSU free throws, Jasper Johnson scored and UK led 25-19. However, LSU scored the next five to get within one.
Chandler hit a three to extend the lead to 28-24 but LSU scored on the other end to get within two. Chandler scored again, this time from inside the arc, then Oweh hit two free throws to stretch the lead to 32-26. The Tigers scored to get within four.
Aberdeen scored five in a row to extend the lead to 37-28 but LSU scored the next four points to cut the UK lead to 37-32. Garrison scored for the Cats but LSU scored the next five to get within two.
Aberdeen scored in the lane but LSU responded again with a basket. Aberdeen made one-of-two at the line, then LSU did the same to cut the UK lead to 42-40. UK got a Garrison basket and two Oweh free throws to lead by six but LSU hit a three at the buzzer to cut the Kentucky lead to 46-43 at the half.
LSU tied the game early in the second half before UK got two free throws from Malachi Moreno and an Oweh basket to lead 51-47. The Tigers scored the next three before Aberdeen scored on a floater to give UK a 53-50 advantage. LSU scored the next four to take the lead.
Mo Dioubate scored to give the Cats a 55-54 lead, but the Tigers scored on the other end to take the lead back. An Aberdeen layup gave UK a 57-56 advantage before LSU took the lead back again. Garrison scored then Dioubate converted a three-point play to give Kentucky a 62-58 lead. The Tigers scored on their end to cut the UK lead in half.
Dioubate scored to give the Cats a 64-60 lead but LSU answered yet again. After a Garrison free throw, the Tigers scored again to get within one. That’s when Garrison came up huge, hitting back-to-back three-pointers to extend the lead to 71-64.
Aberdeen scored at the rim to build the lead to nine before an LSU free throw. Oweh drove to the basket and scored to give UK a double-digit lead for the first time in the game, 75-65. A Garrison dunk gave UK a 12-point lead before an LSU three-point play cut the Kentucky lead to 77-68.
Moreno hit two free throws but LSU scored the next six to cut the UK lead to 79-74, but Oweh scored to extend the lead to 81-74 with 2:36 to play. The Tigers hit two free throws but Oweh struck again on the other end and the Cats led 83-76 with 1:12 remaining. After the Tigers scored, Aberdeen hit two free throws to give Kentucky a seven-point lead with 40 seconds left.
Kentucky returns to action on Thursday in the SEC Tournament, facing Missouri. Tipoff is set for 12:30 p.m. ET and the game can be seen on the SEC Network.
