A massive second half from Otega Oweh leads Kentucky past Missouri and on to Florida

Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats got a dramatic win over LSU on Wednesday in the SEC Tournament, which set up a rematch with the Missouri Tigers. This is a Missouri team that beat Kentucky in Rupp Arena early in SEC play. In the rematch, Kentucky got the better of the Tigers, winning this game 78-72.

The Wildcats had a lead at the half, but a massive second half from Mark Mitchell brought the Tigers all the way back. Missouri had a lead in the second half, but it didn’t last long as Otega Oweh also had a massive second half, sparking this team. Oweh had 15 second-half points while going 6-10 from the field. The Wildcats' superstar didn’t have his best first half, but when it mattered the most, he showed up.

Kentucky guard Otega Oweh (00) is guarded by Missouri guard T.O. Barrett (5) during their Day 2 2026 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, March 12, 2026. | DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Collin Chandler had a nice bounce-back game, where he scored 15 points with 11 of them coming in the second half. Kentucky wins when Collin Chandler scores 10+, and he did just that in this game. He also added two rebounds, two assists, and three steals in the win.

While only playing 19 minutes, Andrija Jelavic was very impactful in this game, scoring six points to go with six rebounds. Jelavic also added a steal and an assist to the stat sheet. The +/- leader in this game was Jelavic, and it does seem he is getting more comfortable on the floor. He is incredibly fluid with the ball, and limiting turnovers is crucial for Jelavic going forward. He didn’t turn the ball over in this game.

Turnovers were a big story in this game. Kentucky only turned the ball over nine times, while the Tigers turned the ball over 15 times. If Kentucky can keep winning the turnover battle, it will be massive for this team in the NCAA Tournament.

Mar 12, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Collin Chandler (5) reacts after a made three point basket against the Missouri Tigers during the second half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

It will be interesting to see what this win does for Kentucky’s NCAA Tournament seeding. Fans are hoping this will move Kentucky up to a six-seed in the Big Dance, which would help Pope’s team avoid a two-seed in the Round of 32.

Next up for the Wildcats is the Florida Gators. This Florida team has gotten the best of Pope’s Wildcats twice already this season, so Kentucky will be looking for revenge. Having Kam Williams back will hopefully help the Wildcats guard Thomas Haugh, as he has given Kentucky issues in the first two meetings.

I am willing to bet that hundreds of cars full of Kentucky fans will be making the trip down to Rupp Arena South for this matchup with the hottest team in college basketball on Friday.