“Oweh did it again to Oklahoma!” shouted the commentator at the end of the second-round SEC Tournament game between Kentucky and Oklahoma. The Sooner Nation had been dreading this moment as the clock ticked down on a thrilling showdown in Nashville. Just two weeks ago, Oweh made the game-winning shot amid a chorus of boos on his return to the Lloyd Noble Center, after transferring to Kentucky this past offseason. Oweh put up his career-best performance that night has he put a dagger through Sooners hearts, who lost 83-82. On Thursday night with mere seconds remaining, he raced down the right side of the court, got to the basket, and made the game-winning layup, tormenting his former team once again.

Oklahoma had seemingly completed a miracle comeback. They were down by 10 with 1:26 remaining but cut the deficit to 83-77 with 41 seconds left. Freshman Jeremiah Fears was leading the charge with a 3-pointer, steal and assist. It was his layup that gave the Sooners an 84-83 lead with just 5.6 seconds left. But Oweh had one more act left in his script. He sprinted down the court, took the baseline Oklahoma left open, and drilled a contested jumper with a fraction of a second to go. The ball dropped through the net, sealing an 85-84 Kentucky victory. While the Oklahoma fans were left devastated, one individual was more distraught than others- Head Coach Porter Moser.

After the narrow loss, Moser sat down with Jalon Moore and Jeremiah Fears for the post-game presser. As the questions came, Moser was visibly upset by the rollercoaster ending that had gone against his team yet again. Talking about the final play of the game he said, “That last play, obviously emotional, we were going to be in a 1-2-2 trap, trap ’em. You had the sideline and two players. We let it get around the corner. We knew where they were going. We were going to try to bottle ’em up and trap ’em. The trap was ineffective.” Despite keeping his calm, you could see that Moser was having a hard time coming to grips with the painful defeat.

In fact, Kentucky reporter for TheCatsPause247, Aaron Gershon painted a more somber outlook of Moser’s emotions, tweeting, “OU head coach Porter Moser is in tears at the podium.” Moser was in a less-than-cheerful mood after failing to close out yet another game and suffering at the hands of a former player. He continued, “Once he turned the corner, you just knew. He puts his head down. It’s hard to take a charge, do anything. He’s as fast and powerful in the country. The problem was we were putting him in a box, in a trap, and he turned a corner.”

Despite playing in an arena mostly consisting of unrelenting Kentucky fans, Moser’s side put on a brave effort to not only claw back a big deficit but put their noses ahead with seconds remaining. This had been the story of the season for Oklahoma though, losing games decided by the small margins. Moser’s team is 4-3 in the last seven games, with its three defeats coming by a combined five points.  Apart from the earlier close defeat to Kentucky, they have also been on the wrong end of other close encounters against Ole Miss (87-84), LSU (79-82) and Texas A&M (80-78). But losing to a rival, that too thanks to a former player who hits the game-winner is a different kind of pain.

Moser added, “I’m heartbroken for those guys because everything we’ve asked these guys to do when people counted us out, just kept on every day coming to practice, our staff, just believing. ‘You guys, there’s a path. There’s a path.’ We beat Mississippi State, we come back, lose heartbreakers for Ole Miss and Kentucky, then we beat Missouri at Texas, Georgia, three Quad 1 wins. Not easy to do with the schedule we’ve had. I’m happy and I’m excited that we’re not done playing. I’m excited to go to battle with these guys again in the Tournament.”

Oweh, who transferred from Oklahoma to Kentucky in the offseason, was already a known problem for the Sooners. Earlier in the season, he had left his old team crest-fallen after a career-high 28 points.

When asked about his impression of Kentucky and particularly, Oweh, Moser answered, “I coached Otega, so I know my impression of him. He’s very, very good.” Good indeed. He averages 16.5 this season and his two games against the OU are the only time he has scored more than 25 points in his career. The 6’5” guard wasn’t just scoring—he was everywhere. He finished with five assists, four rebounds, and three steals, making sure his former side never got too comfortable.

Moser, who coached Oweh for two years in Oklahoma, is well aware of his prowess. For Kentucky fans, this was the moment they had been waiting for. A star to emerge under new head coach Mark Pope. Oweh proved he was that guy.

Moser’s emotions and words in the press conference were a reflection of his coaching style. He isn’t just another clipboard-waving, suit-wearing strategist. He’s a players’ coach. His 2018 Final Four run with Loyola-Chicago wasn’t just a Cinderella story—it was proof that his player-first philosophy worked. So, Oweh’s remarkable performance wasn’t just a loss for him. It was a moment of reflection, of what could have been. A reminder that, in college basketball, bonds are built, but rosters change. And sometimes, those changes come back to haunt you.

What if Otega Oweh had stayed? The painful ‘what-if’ for Oklahoma Sooners

Just last season, he was one of them—wearing crimson and cream, flashing moments of brilliance, showing glimpses of the star he was becoming. But instead of being Oklahoma’s hero, he became their heartbreak. Twice.

Oweh isn’t just a scorer- he’s a game-changer. Possessing explosive athleticism and a relentless motor, he plays with an energy that shifts momentum on both ends of the floor. His defensive versatility? Elite. His ability to create his own shot? Something Oklahoma desperately needed in those final moments against Kentucky.

Since transferring to Kentucky, Oweh has flourished, averaging 16.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. His efficiency has been impressive—49.2% from the field, 34.8% from three. And when the game is on the line, he doesn’t just show up—he delivers. Just ask Oklahoma, the team he buried with a baseline jumper at the buzzer in the SEC Tournament.

The win was Kentucky’s first in the SEC tournament since 2022 and Oweh was delighted to help his side get over the line. “We weren’t here the past couple of years,” Oweh said. “For us, we just come in with a fresh mind, try to compete every single day. We’re not coming here just to play the game. We’re trying to win. At the end of the day, that’s what it is.” The Wildcats now have a quarterfinal against Alabama to look forward to.

Meanwhile, the Sooners have struggled with consistency, leaning heavily on Jeremiah Fears, who dropped 28 points in their loss to Kentucky. But even with Fears’ heroics, Oklahoma came up just short.

Would things have been different if Oweh had stayed? Would he have been the extra spark, the closer they needed in a high-pressure SEC season?

Beyond the stats, Oweh’s presence alone could have been a stabilizing force for a Sooners team adjusting to a new conference. He knew the system. He knew the locker room. He had already built the chemistry that takes time to develop. Instead, Oklahoma had to watch from the other side as he became the very player who sent them home.