The Kentucky Wildcats got an NCAA Tournament opening round win over Santa Clara on Friday, but it wasn’t the win itself that had people talking. Otega Oweh had the best game of his career, pouring in 35 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, but when his name came up, those weren’t the focus.
Round one was filled with exciting games, and more than one memorable moment. However, it was the Wildcats win over the Broncos that will be remembered for creating an all-time great one, when Oweh saved Kentucky’s season with a half-court miracle.
Social media immediately exploded with talk about the sequence of events. Seemingly everyone had a comment, and no exclamation went unused. The clip was shared too many times to count, with the understanding that something special had just happened.
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Later on in the day, more context was added. The clip was played with coach Mark Pope’s reaction to both shots.
Although Pope took it casually, it was a special moment. We had all just witnessed one of the greatest finishes in not only March Madness history, but in the history of the sport, period.
The crowd says it all.
How does it stack up with other March Madness moments?
Kentucky fans, of course, remember Christian Laettner’s buzzer beat in 1992. Villanova won a championship on a buzzer beater just a decade ago. Keith Smart, Tyus Edney, Bryce Drew, and more all had huge shots in the NCAA Tournament.
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Oweh’s wasn’t a game-winner, but it was just as big, and prevented Kentucky from being the victim of an upset. The distance of the shot factors in as well. This wasn’t a jumper from normal range. It was nearly half-court, on the run, and with a defender in front of him. The degree of difficulty certainly adds to the epic nature.
Was it the greatest buzzer beater of all-time? Probably not, but it was magical anyway. The Kentucky program has certainly had its share of big moments, but Otega Oweh’s miracle will remembered as one of the greatest, and fans can expect to see it on…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/otega-owehs-miracle-shot-time-191942405.html
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Publish date : 2026-03-21 19:19:00
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