Otega Oweh’s 32-foot miracle shot against Santa Clara on Friday didn’t just tie the game at 70 and send it into overtime — it also sparked one of the most talked-about controversies in Kentucky basketball this season. Fans, analysts, and even Santa Clara head coach Herb Sendek were left debating whether a critical timeout should have been granted in the final moments of regulation.
The drama unfolded just after Allen Graves hit a clutch three-pointer to give the Broncos a 73-70 lead. Sendek was visibly signaling for a timeout, but the officials didn’t stop the play. After the game, Sendek expressed his frustration:
“I unequivocally called a timeout. But they didn’t grant it,” he said, clearly upset over what he viewed as a missed opportunity.
At first glance, it appeared the referees may have made a mistake. But a closer look at the timing and rules reveals why the call was actually correct.
Former Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl weighed in, explaining that when a basket is made and the ball is still passing through the net, neither team has possession. A timeout can only be called by the team that currently has control of the ball.
Kentucky’s Denzel Aberdeen acted almost instantly, grabbing the ball and stepping out of bounds to inbound it. By the time Sendek signaled, possession had officially switched to Kentucky, making a timeout for Santa Clara impossible. Simply put, if Sendek had called it just a fraction of a second earlier — before Aberdeen gained control — the timeout likely would have been granted. Timing, in this case, made all the difference.
Instead of stopping play, Kentucky pushed forward — and Oweh delivered his legendary shot, tying the game and shifting momentum completely in favor of the Wildcats.
While the sequence sparked heated debate, the referees followed the rules to the letter. The “controversy” was less about an officiating error and more about a lightning-fast execution by Kentucky at a critical moment.
In the end, what could have been seen as a controversial no-call instead became a testament to March Madness drama: quick decisions, split-second timing, and a moment that will be remembered in Kentucky basketball history for years to come.
