Should Kentucky fans be hitting the panic button on Otega Oweh?

Otega Oweh had a rough night in the loss to Louisville.

Nov 11, 2025; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Otega Oweh (00) dribbles against Louisville Cardinals guard Mikel Brown Jr. (0) during the first half at KFC Yum! Center. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images | Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats just took a tough loss to their rival, the Louisville Cardinals, in the KFC Yum Center for its first loss of the season. This was a basketball game where, in the second half, the Cardinals led by as many as 20 points, but Kentucky was able to fight back. In the end, despite getting it close at one point, the Cardinals went on to secure the win.

Historically, in this rivalry, each team needs its star player to have a big game, and the Cardinals got that from Mikel Brown Jr., who scored 29 points in the win. He was quiet in the first ten minutes of the second half, but when it mattered the most, Brown Jr. got the job done.

Kentucky, on the other hand, did not get a good showing from its star player as Otega Oweh played the worst game of his Kentucky career. In this basketball game, Oweh scored 12 points on 4-13 from the field and 1-6 from three.

Kentucky Wildcats guard Otega Oweh (00) lost control of the ball while driving during first half action as the Louisville Cardinals hosted the Kentucky Wildcats at the KFC Yum! Center on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. | Jeff Faughender/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oweh had the worst +/- on the team with a -16, and this type of performance from a team's star player will not end in a win.

Oweh missed some time this offseason due to turf toe, and he has not looked like himself so far this season. Oweh could still be dealing with this nagging injury, but there is another concern for the Preseason SEC Player of the Year.

Louisville Cardinals guard Ryan Conwell (3) tried to steal the ball from Kentucky Wildcats guard Otega Oweh (00) during the UofL-UK annual rivalry game at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky Nov. 11, 2025. The Cards had 11 steals to UK's 3. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The other concern for Oweh is that he is shooting the ball too much from deep. It is safe to say Oweh is not a knockdown shooter from deep, and this was what the NBA told him he needed to improve on if he wants to be an elite player at the next level.

Oweh is one of the best players in college basketball when he puts the ball on the floor and goes to the rim. Early in the season, he has looked like he wants to shoot the ball more and is getting away from his style of play.

It does seem early for Big Blue Nation to press the panic button on Oweh this early into the season, but the Wildcats need their star to start shining. Hopefully, the Eastern Illinois game will be a get-right game for Oweh and this team before they take on the Michigan State Spartans. Oweh will need to play better in this marquee matchup.