Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats recap thriller vs. Santa Clara
One of the wildest games in Kentucky Basketball history.
Kentucky Basketball didn’t just win… they survived. The No. 7 seed Wildcats outlasted No.
10 Santa Clara 89–84 in overtime in a game that had everything: Runs, momentum swings, and a finish that still doesn’t feel real. It felt like Kentucky was fighting all night. Every time they grabbed control, Santa Clara answered.
And then, with the season on the line, down three with seconds left, it looked over. Until Otega Oweh stepped into the moment. Off the inbound, he pushed it up the floor and banked in a deep shot at the buzzer to tie it at 73 and force overtime.
From there, the Wildcats finished things off to claim their first NCAA Tournament overtime win since 2000. It’s also the first time since 2018-19 that Kentucky has won NCAA Tournament games in consecutive seasons. Oweh led the way with 35 points and continued to deliver in the biggest moments, while Brandon Garrison brought the physical presence and energy the Cats needed to survive.