ST. LOUIS — The No. 7 seed Kentucky Wildcats defeated the No. 10 seed Santa Clara Broncos 89-84 in overtime during the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament Midwest Region on Friday evening.
Otega Oweh banked in a desperation 3-pointer from near the midcourt logo at the buzzer to tie the game 73-73 and force overtime, saving a Kentucky program operating with college basketball’s richest NIL budget from an early tournament exit.
The Wildcats continue a high-stakes postseason push that recently saw Kentucky eliminate LSU in conference play, relying on late-game execution to advance.
Final Seconds of Regulation
With 2.4 seconds remaining in regulation, Santa Clara freshman Allen Graves sank a 3-pointer to give the Broncos a 73-70 lead. On the ensuing play, Oweh caught the inbound pass, rushed up the court, and hit the tying shot as time expired.
Santa Clara head coach Herb Sendek described the sequence as “a really euphoric high, followed by a tough one to swallow.”
Kentucky coach Mark Pope highlighted the dramatic swings following the final whistle. “I don’t know where you get this transformation of emotions to just from despair to thrill to despair to thrill in a matter of four seconds… But we got that a bunch,” Pope said.
Following their crushing loss to Kentucky in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Tournament, Santa Clara head coach Herb Sendek said that he tried to call timeout before Otega Oweh hit a 3-pointer to send the game to overtime: https://t.co/lMBNvPgaXw
— Robbie Stratakos (@RPStratakos) March 20, 2026
Overtime and Key Performances
Kentucky pulled away in the extra period. Oweh hit tiebreaking free throws with 1:12 remaining. Wildcats reserve Brandon Garrison secured the win with two blocks in the final minute, one of which led to a breakaway dunk.
Oweh finished with a career-high 35 points, adding eight rebounds and seven assists. Garrison contributed 10 points and six blocks off the bench. For Santa Clara, Christian Hammond scored a team-high 20 points, and Graves added 17.
Historical Context and Officiating Frustrations
The matchup contrasted two vastly different basketball histories. Santa Clara was making its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 30 years, its last trip being in 1996. Kentucky was making a national record-extending 63rd tournament appearance.
Post-game discussions featured frustrations from the Santa Clara side regarding late-game officiating. During a scramble for a loose ball with under 30 seconds left in regulation, officials granted Kentucky a contested timeout, allowing the Wildcats to retain possession before the final sequence.
Kentucky now advances to face No. 2 seed Iowa State in the second round of the Midwest Region.