KSR's five top takeaways from Kentucky's crazy win over Oklahoma to open the SEC Tournament

What in the world did we just witness? Have you ever felt a swing of emotions that drastic in a matter of minutes — or even seconds, for that matter? You go from up 10 with 1:26 to go to down one with six seconds on the clock, staring yet another one-and-done exit in the SEC Tournament right in the face.

Then Otega Oweh happened, just as it did in the first matchup 15 days before with the former Sooner hitting a game-winner against his old team. It’s impossible to describe the epic collapse, followed immediately by one of the most ridiculous shots you’ll see in one of the most ridiculous situations a team could find itself in.

No quick return trip home for these Wildcats, all thanks to the heroics of a guy who just can’t stop breaking the hearts of Oklahoma fans.

That’s obviously the best part of the night, but what else stands out from Kentucky’s postseason-opening victory in Nashville?

Something about Otega Oweh against the Sooners…

Talking to the players in the locker room after the game, Oweh’s teammates had one job in those final six seconds: get the ball to Tega-Tron and get out of the way.

Receiving the inbounds pass, Oweh cruised down the floor, guiding past Kobe Elvis on the right sideline and down to the baseline before lifting for the off-balanced left-handed floater in traffic. Barely missing Jalon Moore’s outstretched hand, the ball somehow fell through the net to secure a win we’ll all remember for a long, long time.

That was the highlight, but Oweh was brilliant most of the way, finishing with 27 points on 8-14 shooting, 2-3 from three and 9-10 at the line while adding five assists, four rebounds and three steals in 36 minutes — 16 of those points coming in the second half, playing every second after halftime.

He makes very difficult things look easy, and for that, we are thankful.

He is that guy. pic.twitter.com/udh9bOEFTY

— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) March 14, 2025

Two absolute daggers to the heart for the Sooners, both thrown by the guy who once called Norman home.

All eyes on Lamont Butler

Lamont Butler tucked the ball like a running back shooting through the A-gap, bouncing Dayton Forsythe back as he euro-stepped through for a crafty reverse finish — just what the doctor ordered following back-to-back triples for Oklahoma, putting the good guys back up four with 9:49 to go in the first half.

here's the play pic.twitter.com/uD4E4mzEcH

— J. Kyle Mann (@jkylemann) March 14, 2025

He’d sub out 14 seconds later and head back to the locker room where he’d stay through halftime. After an extended stretch of silence on his status, Pope finally broke it at halftime by confirming ‘they’re getting imaging on him now,’ referring to Butler’s shoulder.

The fifth-year senior would not re-join the team out of the break, Collin Chandler starting in his place to open the second half. Butler would then return to the bench several minutes later wearing his warmup shirt, indicating his night was over while refusing to lift his left arm on the bench.

The postgame outlook? Not optimistic.

“I’m praying like crazy, I will be, that he can find his way back on the floor at some point this year,” Pope said. “It just doesn’t seem fair. This is not a fair game. I’m not saying that, but man, I would like so badly for him to be able to step on a court again. We’ll see how it goes.”

We’ll continue to celebrate this win, but Butler’s health is a massive dark cloud hanging over this team as Kentucky fights to stay alive this postseason. His absence was immediately felt against Oklahoma, Jeremiah Fears terrified and second guessing his every move with the San Diego State transfer harassing him on the perimeter. With Butler out? Fears went for 28 points with 16 coming in the second half.

Don’t let Koby Brea get hot

Oweh was the star with the biggest highlights, but don’t forget about Koby Brea’s offensive impact and his ability to set the tone early. He opened the game with a driving layup, then drilled a jumper to give Kentucky a 10-3 lead in the first 2:28, followed by another big-time three to put the Cats up eight with 13:56 to go in the first half. His buckets had Bridgestone Arena on fire in what was essentially a home crowd, building some massive early momentum with some tough makes.

He would score 12 points on 5-7 shooting and 2-4 from three in the first half, followed by another 10 in the second on 3-5 overall and 2-3 from deep — 22 on 8-12 and 4-7, for those curious. Many of those baskets were timely, too, either to extend a lead with the fans going nuts or calming some nerves with a big make when things got tight.

When you talk about experience and signing older guys out of the transfer portal, Brea’s performance is the example of that value. His presence was invaluable in Kentucky’s first postseason win under Pope.

Travis Ford let the officials hear it

With press row set up on the floor, you get a unique angle of games you don’t typically get to see sitting where it is on the moon at Rupp Arena and some of the other SEC locations. You’re right there in the action, hearing and seeing some pretty cool stuff. Among that stuff? None other than Kentucky legend Travis Ford giving the officials a piece of his mind.

Look, Collin Chandler had to get stitches after his face leaked blood on a no-call at the rim — not even a monitor review, absolutely inexcusable for the crew of Terry Oglesby, Owen Shortt and Courtney Green. Everything else with those guys was hilariously inconsistent and nearly cost the Cats in that Yakety Sax of a stretch in the final two minutes as the Sooners played tackle football trying to claw their way back.

Ford lost his mind sitting courtside, just like the rest of us repping the blue and white.

“Call it on the other end!” he screamed at one ref, the two-time SEC Tournament MVP doing his part to will his Cats to victory.

Pope held his tongue afterward when asked about the no-call on Chandler’s hit to the face, among the rest of the nonsense — “Trying to decide how honest I should be actually,” he joked — but at least the guy who can’t be fined by the league let ’em hear it.

Big Blue Nation was on a different planet

Folks, we say it every year, but nothing compares to BBN at the SEC Tournament. Nothing. Today was proof once again, starting from the opening tip. Maybe it was the long wait, giving fans more time for some day drinking. Maybe it was being antsy for Pope’s first postseason game, refusing to go home after one single night after so much talk about the importance of this event. One way or another, this fanbase proved why no one comes close across any sport, that first stretch with the Cats going up 8-0 being one that is truly indescribable. It was a pop unlike nothing else, ear-piercing volume in a crowd that was legitimately 98 percent blue — a home game featuring the most passionate diehards this crazy fanbase has to offer.

The game started hot and finished hotter, BBN coming together for an all-time celebration thanks to Mr. OO pulling yet another rabbit out of his hat.

Run it back again Friday night?