ATLANTA — In a thrilling matchup on Tuesday night, Otega Oweh successfully sank four free throws in the last 10.3 seconds, leading the No. 19 Kentucky Wildcats to a significant victory over No. 6 Duke, triumphing 77-72 in the Champions Classic. This win marks a key moment for head coach Mark Pope in his career.
With just over a minute left in the game, Duke (2-1) managed to tie the score at 72, thanks to a layup from Cooper Flagg. However, they were unable to secure another shot for the remainder of the game. Despite a stellar performance where Flagg scored 26 points, he made crucial mistakes in the closing moments, committing two turnovers that ultimately helped seal the win for Kentucky (3-0).
Oweh’s day was highlighted by a key steal that led to crucial free throws, and he added to his contributions by securing an offensive rebound off a missed free throw from Lamont Butler, earning another trip to the foul line with only half a second left on the clock. Andrew Carr led the Wildcats in scoring with 17 points, while Oweh contributed 15.
This victory was particularly significant for Pope, a former player for Kentucky who returned to the program after the longtime tenure of coach John Calipari. Throughout the game, Duke managed to limit their turnovers to just seven. However, Flagg’s critical mistakes at the end proved detrimental to their chances of winning.
Kentucky displayed a well-rounded performance, with only three players scoring in double figures but a total of nine players contributing to the overall score.
One pivotal moment occurred with Duke trailing 74-72 when Flagg attempted to navigate the corner but lost his balance, inadvertently stepping out of bounds and turning the ball over to Kentucky with just five seconds remaining, a costly mistake that solidified their defeat.
In terms of shooting performance, Duke struggled significantly from beyond the arc, hitting only 4 out of 23 attempts for three-pointers, while the Wildcats fared much better at 10 out of 25 from long range.
Looking ahead, Duke will be returning home to take on Wofford on Saturday, while Kentucky is set to host Lipscomb on Tuesday, kicking off a four-game homestand.