Kentucky's OT miracle
Kentucky survived Santa Clara 89–84 in overtime after Otega Oweh banked a 32‑foot, game‑tying three at the buzzer to force OT. Oweh finished with 35 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists — a stat line commentators compared to Larry Bird-level rarity. (youtube.com) (nbcnews.com)
The game was played March 20, 2026 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, pitting No. 7 Kentucky against No. 10 Santa Clara in the Midwest Region first round. (ncaa.com) Santa Clara’s Allen Graves knocked down a go-ahead 3 with 2.4 seconds left in regulation to give the Broncos the lead before the final sequence. (espn.com) Santa Clara coach Herb Sendek said he had called a timeout after Graves’ triple but officials did not grant one, a dispute he addressed publicly after the loss. (newsweek.com) In the extra period, Kentucky’s star converted the go-ahead free throws that ultimately decided the outcome in overtime. (apnews.com) The matchup featured a wildly fluctuating game flow with roughly 20 lead changes and 12 ties, and Kentucky’s Brandon Garrison sealed the win with an emphatic dunk in the closing moments. (on3.com) That performance made program history: it was the first time a Kentucky player recorded at least 30 points, five rebounds and five assists in an NCAA Tournament game, and Kentucky now advances to face No. 2 Iowa State in the Round of 32 on March 22 at 2:45 p.m. ET in St. Louis. (saturdaydownsouth.com) Santa Clara was making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1996, marking a long-awaited return to the Big Dance for the Broncos under coach Herb Sendek. (santaclarabroncos.com)
