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Otega Oweh has struggled to get rolling against Tennessee

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Otega Oweh has struggled to get rolling against Tennessee


Kentucky senior Otega Oweh is having a career season in 2025-26. The former Oklahoma transfer is setting career highs in points (17.0), assists (2.6), steals (1.8), and two-point shooting percentage (52.8%). The senior has taken on a big offensive load this season and is delivering. Oweh is entering Saturday’s game riding a streak of four consecutive games of 20-plus points. Yet, the preseason SEC Player of the Year is still looking for his first big scoring performance against Tennessee.

Oweh is averaging 16.5 points on .486/.353/.757 shooting splits at Kentucky over 59 games. The veteran has come well short of those averages in four career games against Tennessee.

Game Points Two-Point Shooting Three-Point Shooting Free Throw Shooting
Kentucky at Tennessee (Jan. 28, 2025) 14 4-of-10 0-of-1 6-of-9
Tennessee at Kentucky (Feb. 11, 2025) 13 3-of-10 1-of-1 4-of-6
Kentucky vs. Tennessee (March 28, 2025) 13 5-of-11 0-of-1 3-of-4
Kentucky at Tennessee (Jan. 17, 2026) 12 2-of-6 1-of-5 5-of-9

Otega Oweh is averaging just 13 points per game on 37.8% shooting from two, 25% shooting from three, and 64.3% shooting at the line. All those numbers are much lower than his career averages at Kentucky. For some reason, Kentucky’s top scorer has struggled to get rolling against the Vols. The inefficient scoring has not stopped UK from recording a 3-1 record against Tennessee over the last two seasons, but Rick Barnes‘ defense has been able to take away Kentucky’s top scorer.

In the win over Tennessee earlier this season, Otega Oweh did not get going on the offensive end until crunch time. The Vols typically have a defensive plan that neutralizes Oweh. Kentucky could need some other scoring threats to emerge on Saturday night at Rupp Arena.

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Otega Oweh’s next big scoring output against Tennessee will be his first. The senior has reached at least 20 points against nine SEC teams. Can he get there against a 10th in a fourth attempt on Saturday?



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Kentucky

Kentucky is poised to land either Donnie Freeman or Sebastian Rancik this weekend, per report

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Kentucky is poised to land either Donnie Freeman or Sebastian Rancik this weekend, per report


Jones posted on Twitter that “Kentucky will have (absent a major change) either Freeman or Rancik by tomorrow,” while also noting the Wildcats still need to add another shooter and another big to round out the roster.

One of the top targets is Donnie Freeman, a 6-foot-9, 205-pound sophomore forward transferring from Syracuse. Freeman arrived in Lexington on Tuesday night and began his visit on Wednesday before leaving without a commitment. While there was concern he could land at UConn, that visit has since been canceled, leaving Kentucky and St. John’s as the top teams.

Freeman averaged 16.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game last season, while adding nearly a block and a steal per contest. He shot 47.4% from the field but 30.2% from 3-point range across 23 games.

The other option is Sebastian Rancik, a 6-foot-11, 220-pound sophomore forward transferring from Colorado. Rancik visited Kentucky starting Wednesday through Thursday and brings a versatile skill set, averaging 12.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2 assists per game while shooting 33.1% from 3.

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Either Freeman or Rancik would provide a significant boost at the power forward position for head coach Mark Pope. Kentucky has already added guards Zoom Diallo and Alex Wilkins in the portal.



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Kentucky football spring game offers early look at Will Stein’s Cats

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Kentucky football spring game offers early look at Will Stein’s Cats


play

LEXINGTON — Kentucky football had its first spring game under new coach Will Stein at Kroger Field on Saturday.

The offense, in blue jerseys, had its moments. So too the defense, donning white uniforms.

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Ultimately, the blue squad earned a 23-18 victory in a game called just after noon because of inclement weather.

Stein admitted he “got emotional” as he charged onto the field prior to kickoff.

“I know it wasn’t a real game, but when I ran on the field, I definitely — man, I felt it,” he said. “It was like a wave running over me. And very, very, just cool.”

While it doesn’t count in the standings, Stein walked away pleased.

“I think we got a lot of really good work,” he said. “That’s the goal of spring is to improve with fundamentals and technique, learn how to practice, learn what winning edges that we need throughout spring to go into summer and fall and prepare the team for play. And we came out of the scrimmage clean. There (were) no injuries, which to me, that’s the biggest win of the day. I could (not) care less about the score.

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“If we come out clean, that’s good. The Wildcats won.”

New starting QB Kenny Minchey looked about as expected, with sharp passes evened out by moments of inconsistency. Martels Carter Jr., a defensive back who is lining up at running back this spring, scored a touchdown and had several nice runs.

And the defense forced multiple three-and-outs and also picked off one Minchey pass on a two-point conversion.

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This story will be updated.

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.



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Kentucky has reportedly moved on from top-10 transfer Paulius Murauskas

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Kentucky has reportedly moved on from top-10 transfer Paulius Murauskas


NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament First Round-Texas A&M at Saint Marys

Mar 19, 2026; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Saint Mary’s (CA) Gaels forward Paulius Murauskas (23) takes a shot during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images



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