Who is Otega Oweh? Meet Kentucky's March Madness hero with an NFL brother originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Otega Oweh made his name known to NCAA Tournament viewers after hitting a game-tying buzzer beater just ahead of halfcourt for the Kentucky Wildcats. Right when the Wildcats were staring at a loss to No. 10 Santa Clara in the face, Oweh hit the shot of his life, and later led Kentucky to an 89-84 OT victory.
The New Jersey native has been Kentucky's best player this season. When his team needed him most, Oweh showed why he gets the ball nearly every possession.
Here is more information about Oweh, his college career and the connection to NFL linebacker Odafe Oweh.
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Who is Otega Oweh?
Otega Oweh is a 6-foot-4 guard for the Kentucky Wildcats and is currently in his senior year. Previously, he attended Oklahoma before announcing his decision to transfer to the University of Kentucky on April 27, 2024.
In Kentucky's 2026 Round of 64 game, Oweh was the game's leading scorer with 35 points, along with adding eight rebounds, seven assists, a steal and a block. On the brink of Kentucky's elimination, Oweh hit a buzzer-beater three from 32 feet away.
NO. WAY. 😱
WE'RE GOING TO OVERTIME!!! #MarchMadnesspic.twitter.com/3n8rDxkY3h
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 20, 2026
Kentucky kept the momentum going in overtime, with Oweh scoring six of the Wildcats' 16 OT points, and was victorious 89-84.
The guard admitted he was rather calm before shooting the three to send the game to overtime, saying he was just trying to get as close as possible to the hoop in three seconds. Here is Oweh's postgame interview on the court.
"I don't know, it just went in. It's March Madness — that's the type of vibe it is, I ain't gonna lie."
– Otega Oweh to @jonrothstein after his EPIC buzzer-beater pic.twitter.com/W0ssaiRwCO
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 20, 2026
Oweh's brother, Odafe, is currently a linebacker for the Washington Commanders in the NFL.
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Where is Otega Oweh from?
Oweh is from Newark, New Jersey, according to the Wildcats' athletics page. He attended Blair Academy in Blairstown.
Coming out of high school, Oweh was a four-star prospect by ESPN.com.
SN AWARDS: All-America team | Player of the Year | Coach of the Year
Is Otega Oweh related to Odafe Oweh?
Yes, Otega and Odafe Oweh are brothers. Otega, 22 years old, is the younger brother of Odafe, 27 years old.
Odafe currently plays for the Washington Commanders as a linebacker.
Otega Oweh stats vs. Santa Clara
While many will talk solely about Oweh's game-saving buzzer beater for the Wildcats, he had an overall stellar game. Here are the senior guard's stats against the Broncos in the Round of 64.
| Minutes | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Steals | Blocks | FG% | 3P% | FTs |
| 42 | 35 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 45.8% (11/24) | 37.5% (3/8) | 10/12 |
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Otega Oweh college stats
Across four years playing college basketball, both for the Oklahoma Sooners and Kentucky Wildcats, Oweh has shown steady improvement. Here are his stats during his college career.
| Team | Season | Games | Minutes | Points | Rebounds | Assists | FG% | 3P% |
| Oklahoma | 2022-23 | 28 | 13.3 | 4.8 | 2.1 | 0.2 | 44.3 | 25.0 |
| Oklahoma | 2023-24 | 32 | 24.8 | 11.4 | 3.8 | 1.0 | 49.3 | 37.7 |
| Kentucky | 2024-25 | 36 | 28.3 | 16.2 | 4.7 | 1.7 | 49.2 | 35.5 |
| Kentucky | 2025-26 | 34 | 32.4 | 18.2 | 4.6 | 2.6 | 46.3 | 33.6 |
How old is Otega Oweh?
Otega Oweh is 22 years old and was born on June 21, 2003. He is the younger brother of 27-year-old Commanders' defensive end Odafe Oweh.
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