FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS - JANUARY 31: Otega Oweh #00 of the Kentucky Wildcats drives to the basket in the second half against Trevon Brazile #7 of the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena on January 31, 2026 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Wildcats defeated the Razorbacks 85-77.

Oweh's 24 points pace Kentucky in win over Arkansas, Calipari

The Associated Press

3 months ago

Wesley Hitt / Getty Images Sport / Getty

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Otega Oweh led four Kentucky players in double figures with 24 points to help the Wildcats to an 85-77 win over No. 15 Arkansas on Saturday in a game that featured six technical fouls.

Oweh, who picked up the first technical foul in the first half, scored 11 points in the final 10 minutes to put Arkansas away as Kentucky closed the game on a 26-18 run. Collin Chandler added 13 for the Wildcats while Malachi Moreno scored 11 and Denzel Aberdeen added 10.

Otega Oweh dropped a season-high 24 points to lead @KentuckyMBB to a big win in Fayetteville 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/g4dtAA3lwQ
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) February 1, 2026

It was 63-all with 8:07 left when Arkansas' Malique Ewin was whistled for a technical foul following a personal foul. Kentucky made 5 of 6 from the free-throw line before Moreno threw down a dunk 43 seconds later and the Wildcats led the rest of the way.

Kentucky (15-7, 6-3 SEC) committed four technical fouls before that, including three in a span of 38 seconds early in the second half. Arkansas, which trailed by seven at halftime, took its first lead of the game following the last technical when Billy Richmond’s dunk made the score 52-51.

Darius Acuff Jr. led Arkansas (16-6, 6-3) with 22 points, 17 in the second half, and was one of five Razorbacks players in double figures. But Arkansas shot just 3 of 14 from 3-point range and 16 of 26 from the free-throw line.

Kentucky made six of its first seven shots and raced to a 14-5 lead four minutes into the game. The Wildcats made their next four field-goal attempts and led by 13 points going into the game’s second media timeout before Arkansas’ methodical comeback.

The loss was the first for Arkansas at home this season and marked the first for coach John Calipari against his former team since he left Kentucky in April 2024.

Up next

Arkansas: Visits Mississippi State next Saturday.

Kentucky: Hosts Oklahoma on Wednesday.

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