In his postgame press conference, Pope detailed Kentucky’s struggles in the final minute, where they nearly squandered a 10-point lead due to costly turnovers, including two from Oweh himself. Rather than focusing solely on the last-second heroics, Pope highlighted the resilience of his team. He noted that despite nearly letting the game slip away, Kentucky remained composed and executed the final possession flawlessly. “The greatness of the moment is that Otega turned it over twice in a row, blowing a 10-point lead,” Pope said. “But what makes that moment so spectacular is he and the team were able to move past the devastation and stay present enough to make the game-winning play in the last five seconds.” Oweh, a former Oklahoma player, had already hit a game-winner against his old team earlier in the season. After the game, he credited Pope for instilling a “next-play mentality,” which helped him bounce back from his turnovers and stay locked in for the final possession.
“I don’t know why it had to play out like that, but Coach always preaches next-play mentality, and that’s all I was thinking,” Oweh said. “It was a bummer to turn it over, but there was still time on the clock, so it was just a play to get downhill, and a good thing happened.”
With this win, Kentucky advances in the SEC Tournament and will face Alabama next. While the buzzer-beater was the highlight, Pope’s message was clear—the heart of Kentucky’s victory was their ability to overcome adversity and execute when it mattered most.
