The Oklahoma Sooners are gearing up for a highly anticipated rematch against the Kentucky Wildcats in the second round of the SEC Tournament. After narrowly losing to Kentucky two weeks ago in Norman, 83-82, Oklahoma is determined to settle the score.
Their confidence is evident. Following their victory over Georgia in the tournament’s opening round on Wednesday night, the Sooners made it clear they have their sights set on taking down Kentucky. The loss in Norman, where Kentucky’s Otega Oweh dominated with 18 consecutive points in crunch time and a game-winning shot, still stings for Oklahoma.
Forward Glenn Taylor Jr. expressed the team’s resolve, saying, “We took a tough one at home. We feel like we should’ve won. Our backs are against the wall, and we know we have to get them. We’re going on a revenge tour. We feel like we have to go get Kentucky tomorrow. We’re ready.”
The Sooners enter the matchup riding high after their 81-75 win over Georgia. While the Bulldogs put up a fight, Oklahoma’s focus now shifts to correcting their mistakes from the first meeting with Kentucky. This includes limiting turnovers and containing Oweh, who scored a career-high 28 points last time out.
Forward Jalon Moore added, “We know how it ended last time — a last-second shot. We’re ready to go and get a dub. We’re a different team now than when we played them, so being able to close out the game tomorrow and get a dub, that’s going to be fun. It’s going to be a physical and competitive game.”
Beyond the high stakes of advancing in the tournament, there’s an extra layer of intensity to this game. The previous meeting ended with chippy play, including a postgame altercation that saw a beer thrown at the Wildcats as they exited the court. Despite the lingering emotions, Moore emphasized their focus.
“When it comes to the ball being tipped, we’re going to lock in,” he said. “We’ll get the dub.”
Kentucky head coach Mark Pope, making his SEC Tournament debut, will look to rally his team for another hard-fought win. With Oweh’s leadership and a team that thrives under pressure, the Wildcats aim to continue their tournament run.
Tipoff is scheduled for Thursday night at 9:30 p.m. EST at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. For Kentucky, it’s about maintaining momentum. For Oklahoma, it’s all about revenge.
