BREAKING: Kentucky stuns No. 22 St. John’s with late surge, Otega Oweh leads the charge
Kentucky did not blink. Down late to No. 22 St. John’s, the Wildcats ripped off a fierce closing run and stole a statement win. Otega Oweh drove the response, attacking the rim, hounding the ball, and flipping the game with power plays on both ends. In a tense, physical finish, Kentucky’s toughness and poise were the difference.
The turning tide in winning time
St. John’s led for long stretches. The Red Storm controlled tempo with strong guard play and a sturdy interior. But when the game slowed in the final minutes, Kentucky got cleaner shots and cleaner stops. Oweh set the tone. He cut hard, got downhill, drew contact, and lifted the defense with active hands. His energy spread, and Kentucky’s wings crashed the glass to create extra chances.
Kentucky shortened the floor. Traps came at smart moments. St. John’s struggled to reset. The Wildcats forced tougher entries and denied second side actions. The Red Storm’s spacing shrank. Late-clock looks turned into contested pull ups. That is where this game broke open.
Otega Oweh’s two way burst changed the game. His drives, pressure defense, and late game composure powered Kentucky’s rally.
Three moments that flipped the script
- Kentucky’s perimeter pressure finally sped up St. John’s, leading to fast transition points.
- Oweh’s paint touches forced help, which opened kickouts and driving lanes.
- Defensive rebounds turned into quick outlets, stopping the Red Storm from setting their half court defense.
What it means for St. John’s
This loss stings because the Red Storm had control. Their defensive shape held for most of the day. Their guards managed pace. Their bigs battled on the glass. Yet the final five minutes exposed the cracks.
St. John’s needed a reliable late game set. They settled instead. The ball stuck on one side. The spacing tightened. Drives met traffic without a clear safety valve. Kentucky counted on that and sat on the first action. The Red Storm will have to sharpen their late clock menu, especially against elite length and pressure.
Ball security will also be a focus. One shaky possession became two. Then the crowd grew quiet, and Kentucky surged. St. John’s must meet that moment with stronger handles, better outlets, and a clearer plan to get the ball to their best finisher in space.
[IMAGE_2]
Pope’s pregame message meets the moment
Mark Pope talked before tip about Kentucky’s unlimited potential, and he leaned into the history with Rick Pitino. The respect was real. The edge was too. His team played with belief in the final stretch, exactly as he framed it. The Wildcats trusted their depth, trusted their legs, and trusted their defense to carry them home.
This was a coaching chess match. St. John’s tried to pull Kentucky into half court, then pound the paint. Kentucky answered by spreading the floor, switching with purpose, and contesting everything at the rim. When the game came down to execution, Pope’s group found a gear the Red Storm could not match.
Pope emphasized connectivity and pace all week. In a tight finish, Kentucky looked connected and fast, even in the half court.
Beyond the buzzer, shifting narratives
For Kentucky, this win raises the ceiling and the floor. It is proof of concept. They handled adversity against a ranked team and looked like themselves when it mattered. Oweh’s emergence as a closer matters. So does the collective rebound work and the shot discipline down the stretch.
For St. John’s, the tape will be blunt. The Red Storm must polish late game offense and calm their decisions under pressure. They have the talent. They play hard. But top 25 games get decided by the last four minutes as much as the first thirty six. The gap today was in clarity and control.
There is also culture at play. Kentucky leaned into its tradition of closing big games. St. John’s is rebuilding that edge under Pitino, and nights like this speed up the lessons. The Red Storm can grow from this, if they clean up end game spacing and two for one awareness, and if they trust a simple action to get a great shot.
The season is long, but nights like this change the room. Kentucky walks out with belief that travels. St. John’s walks out with homework, the kind that turns a good team into a great one.
Late in tight games, the first clean paint touch usually wins the possession. Kentucky made sure Oweh got it.
Conclusion
Kentucky absorbed the hit, then landed the last punch. Otega Oweh’s force, Kentucky’s defense, and a clear late game plan toppled No. 22 St. John’s. It was a measured, mature finish. It was a statement. If this is the version of Kentucky that shows up in March, Pope’s pregame words about unlimited potential will sound less like hope and more like a warning.
