Kentucky senior guard Otega Oweh has been named Southeastern Conference Co-Player of the Week for the second time this season. Oweh earned the recognition after leading Kentucky to victories over Oklahoma and No. 25 Tennessee, sharing the honor with Alabama’s Labaron Philon Jr.
Oweh averaged 22.5 points per game over the week, shooting 60.7 percent from the field. He also contributed 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. In SEC play, he has scored at least 20 points in nine of eleven games, including both matchups this week. Against Oklahoma, Oweh matched his season high with 24 points and led Kentucky with 21 points in an upset win over Tennessee.
Oweh has reached double figures in all 24 games this season for Kentucky. His averages against conference opponents are 20.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.7 steals per game as Kentucky sits just half a game behind Florida in the SEC standings.
During the final minute against Tennessee, with Kentucky trailing by one point, Oweh drove to the baseline where three defenders converged on him. Instead of taking a contested shot, he passed to Collin Chandler on the wing for a three-pointer that gave Kentucky a lead they held for the remainder of the game.
Kentucky overcame a fourteen-point halftime deficit against Tennessee at Rupp Arena, setting a new program record for its largest comeback from a halftime deficit at home; previously, they had overcome a twelve-point gap against Arkansas on January 29, 2006. This was Kentucky’s fifth double-digit comeback win this season, two of which were against Tennessee.
Oweh is now just five points away from reaching 1,000 career points at Kentucky and could become only the fifth transfer in program history to reach that milestone.
Kentucky will next play at Florida on Saturday at 3 p.m., with broadcast coverage scheduled on ABC.
