ST. LOUIS — Otega Oweh saved Kentucky’s chances with a last-second shot from slightly within mid-court to compel an extra period, then converted the decisive foul shots in the overtime session as the seventh-ranked Wildcats triumphed over the tenth-seeded Santa Clara Broncos by a score of 89-84 on Friday in the opening stage of the NCAA Championship.
In a thrilling conclusion to normal play that epitomizes the spirit of “March Madness,” Santa Clara’s Allen Graves sank a three-pointer from the right flank with 2.4 seconds remaining to give the Broncos the lead at 73-70. Oweh took the pass after the inbound, dribbled swiftly up the floor and stopped near the mid-court emblem’s left side to attempt a last-ditch shot. The sphere remained in flight as the horn blared, eventually banking off the backboard to level the score.
Oweh amassed a personal-best 35 points and contributed eight boards and seven dimes for the Wildcats (22-13), who are set to contend against either the second-ranked Iowa State or the fifteenth-ranked Tennessee State in the subsequent stage within the Midwest bracket.
Brandon Garrison repelled two three-point tries by Sash Gavalyugov during the closing sixty seconds of the extra period; the initial rejection was succeeded by an uncontested, two-handed slam that extended Kentucky’s advantage to 83-79. His subsequent denial resulted in additional foul shots for the Wildcats.
Santa Clara’s top scorer was Christian Hammond with twenty points, while Graves contributed seventeen.
Oweh surpassed the institutional record for total points accumulated during a player’s initial two campaigns. This benchmark had persisted since the Wildcats’ national title year of 1951 and previously belonged to All-America big man Bill Spivey, who subsequently encountered accusations of point manipulation.
With one minute and twelve seconds left in the extra frame, Oweh’s pair of foul shots secured Kentucky’s enduring advantage in what was their sixty-third NCAA Championship showing, a national record.
Mouhamed Dioubate contributed seventeen points and Denzel Aberdeen, who transferred from Florida’s previous season’s national title squad, added sixteen for Kentucky.
Santa Clara aimed for its initial tournament victory since nineteen ninety-six, the year future NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash was in his final collegiate year.
Graves propelled Santa Clara into the lead at 70-68 by corralling Elijah Mahi’s air-balled triple and converting the rebound for two points with one minute and thirty-three seconds remaining, precisely as the shot clock neared its end. Following an Oweh misfire, Graves received another close-range opportunity, which also failed, and Oweh managed to contend for the loose ball on the hardwood while Kentucky signaled for a break.
Oweh evened the score with a layup, leaving 9.9 seconds on the clock, thereby paving the way for the frenzied conclusion. Further amplifying the swift unfolding drama, neither squad requested a timeout in the final moments.
Collin Chandler and Aberdeen successfully sank consecutive three-pointers, initiating a thirteen-to-four run as the Wildcats endeavored to establish an advantage during the latter half. Aberdeen’s subsequent three-point shot within this period advanced Kentucky to a 51-44 lead with twelve minutes and twenty-one seconds left, however, Gavalyugov promptly countered with a triple, sparking a rally.
Subsequent to a lofty three-point shot by Mahi, Gavalyugov converted a jump shot and an additional three-pointer to establish Santa Clara’s 59-55 lead with seven minutes and fifty-six seconds remaining.
The proficiency in distant shooting represented a considerable reversal from the initial half, during which both squads demonstrated difficulty, recording identical four-of-fifteen performances from beyond the three-point line. The Broncos held a 31-29 advantage, having concluded the half with a ten-to-three run highlighted by seven points from Mahi.