KSR POSTGAME: UK MBB vs Santa Clara (NCAAT 3/20/26)

Episode Overview

Matt Jones and the KSR crew break down Kentucky’s instant-classic overtime win over Santa Clara, 89-84, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. With one of the wildest finishes in Kentucky history, they dissect the Otega Owe half-court buzzer-beater to force OT, celebrate individual performances—especially from Owe and Brandon Garrison—and reflect on the emotion and resonance of such a monumental moment for the program and fanbase. The show weaves play-by-play analysis, personal and fan stories, and looks ahead to the second-round matchup versus Iowa State.

1. Game Summary & Legendary Finish

• Opening Drama

  • Final sequence: Santa Clara hits a three to go up three with 2.4 seconds left (02:15).
  • Kentucky, with no timeouts, inbounds to Otega Owe, who banks in a ~35-footer to tie and force overtime (02:19).
  • Kentucky wins in OT, 89-84.

• Immediate Reactions

  • Matt: “This shot will be playing...for the next 75 years. You got to see in person those of you that went, one that will last forever...” (03:13)
  • Ryan: “Ortega Oway cemented himself as a Kentucky basketball legend for the rest of his life.” (04:11)

2. Historic Individual Performances

A. Otega Owe

• Stat line: 35 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists
  • Only four players in NCAA Tournament history with that line: Oscar Robertson, Bill Bradley, Larry Bird, and now Otega Owe (03:55).
• Legacy
  • Broke Kentucky’s two-year scoring record.
  • Will “move one notch up” in Kentucky lore. “He’s...not maybe not into the all-time greats, but into the all-time.” (20:26)
  • “That’s the moment. And sports in life. But sports is a game of inches. You miss that shot, it’s a completely different conversation we’re having. You make that shot and...we don’t even have to think about anything and can get ready for our next game.” (18:53)
• Memorable Quotes
  • “He banked in a 35 footer with that inflated ball.” (06:59)
  • “That stat line hasn’t been done in the NCAA tournament since Larry Bird in 1979.” (38:10)

B. Brandon "BG Time" Garrison

• 7 rebounds, 6 blocks—including two huge ones in OT, plus 10 points (04:45, 38:47)
• Game-changing defensive presence (blocked threes late).
• “BG big game Brandon. That’s what he’s going to be.” (21:06)
• Ryan: “He had the big game in the SEC tournament. He’s BG, big game Brandon. That’s what he’s going to be.” (21:06)
• Overcame earlier criticism: “No one has taken more frustration than Brandon Garrison. Certainly from me...but I also have…I can’t dislike him...” (41:09)

C. Support Cast Shoutouts

• Diabate: 17 points, 8 boards, major plays late (10:27, 39:34, 47:47)
  • “Mo is not a puppy. He’s a big dog for sure.” (39:29)
• Aberdeen: “Point guard with a bouncy ball,” played 39 minutes, just one turnover (49:03)
• "Cam Williams hit an important three when he hit it." (37:05)

3. In-Arena & Fan Experience

• Arena Atmosphere

  • Notable number of Santa Clara fans, lots of energy, “tense” throughout (10:06)
    • “Until Owe’s basket went in...I don’t know if a lot of people were scared to death in there.” (10:27)
  • Iowa State fans expected to bring strong support Sunday (31:18)

• Fan Emotions & Stories

  • Matt confesses to watching the second half pacing outside the arena, then at a park among volleyball families, “screaming like a crazy person.” (07:37–09:00)
  • Numerous callers shared stories of celebrating with loved ones, including a father and son in a nursing home (44:00), and a spring break condo of UK students erupting (39:06).

• KS Bar Scene

  • Drew Franklin: “When that shot went in, that was an all-time moment with the fan base.” (22:33)
  • Postgame jubilation: “Drew ends up...standing on the bar doing a Ryan Lemon up there. It’s just awesome.” (17:54)

4. Context: The Shot in Kentucky History

• Comparison to:
  • Aaron Harrison’s threes (2014, vs. Michigan/Wisconsin)
  • Tony Delk (1996)
  • Patrick Sparks, Brandon Knight (06:23)
• “For postseason shots...this one ends up in a win. That’s just amazing.” (05:05)
• Ryan: “It will be one of the greatest NCAA tournament shots in Kentucky basketball history.” (05:52)
• Matt: “That ends up on that montage that plays forever.” (18:29)
• “We haven’t had a moment to remember. We’ve had wins, but we haven’t had the moment. This feels like that moment.” (30:25)

5. Xs & Os: Thoughts on Game Flow & Tactics

• First Half
  • Strong defense, but offense faltered; “We stopped going to the basket, shooting contested threes.” (10:27)
• Second Half
  • “Our offense was much more efficient…Diabate was great…Aberdeen made big shots…OA gets 35. But our defense kind of disappeared.”
  • Kentucky “out-toughed” Santa Clara in the final minutes (11:26)
• Late game drama:
  • On Santa Clara’s coach Herb Sendek’s late timeout attempt: “He clearly did try to call timeout, but he didn’t do it immediately…A lot of people made mistakes there.” (25:54, 26:22, 52:33)
  • Callers clarify NCAA timeout rules regarding possession. (52:36–53:44)

6. Looking Ahead: Next Matchup & Tournament Path

• Expect to play Iowa State (13:00)
  • ISU star Joshua Jefferson hurt (13:00)
  • “If he doesn’t play, that’s a different game.” (13:36)
  • Anticipate difficult ticket and intense crowd (14:55, 31:18)
  • Time TBD, possible 2:30 or 5:30 start depending on other results (14:16–14:55)
• “If we can win Sunday…then you go to Chicago and you play Friday night. We’ll have that Chicago arena packed with people.” (46:23)

7. Memorable Quotes & Emotional Moments

• “You play sports to have moments like that—moments of elation. That’s why you’re a fan.” (17:17)
• Caller Autumn: “Exactly a year ago today, my mom was diagnosed with liver cancer…and I just feel like when that shot went in, that was for her.” (27:27)
  • Matt: “Ortega made that shot for Debbie, aren’t you?” (28:23)
• On fandom: “If they’re not watching the game, that’s on them. They need to wait.” (55:32)

8. Funniest/Brightest Moments

• Matt: “I’m sitting in the park like a crazy person…just yelling and screaming…” (08:00)
• Caller: “Man, Matt, I know you’re a lawyer. Is this grounds to sue for emotional distress?” (29:52)
• “Sports in life. But sports is a game of inches.” (18:53)
• “God, just say tried to buy a ticket for Sunday. Now it’s up to 300.” (31:45)
• Ryan: “I am sweat running down my boxer shorts right now, sitting here in the sun right now.” (54:58)

9. Listener Reflections & Community

• Many calls about watching with family, in bars, at work, and across generations.
• Multiple reflections on how this game brought back optimism, erasing much of the season’s frustration in a single shot.
  • “I just felt the frustration of this season leave my body.” (27:27)
• “We are long overdue to celebrate a big win.” (17:12)
• The moment’s resonance—“There’s a whole commonwealth of students…and they’ll remember sitting there…for the rest of their life.” (17:53)

Important Timestamps

• [02:01] – Final play-by-play & Owe’s shot
• [03:55] – Otega Owe's legendary stat & company
• [05:52] – Group contextualizes the shot in UK & NCAA history
• [10:27] – Game flow breakdown: offense, defense, adjustments
• [13:00] – Iowa State matchup preview
• [17:17 / 18:29] – The meaning of “the Moment” for UK history
• [27:27] – Emotional caller story (“that was for her...”)
• [30:25] – This is the moment fans have waited for
• [38:10] – Owe’s stat compared to Larry Bird’s
• [49:03] – Mark Pope’s philosophy, tournament experience
• [52:33–53:44] – Timeout rules, game management

10. Conclusion

The KSR crew and fan community joyfully absorb and analyze one of Kentucky’s greatest NCAA tournament wins, defined by Otega Owe's iconic buzzer-beater. Individual fortitude, team resilience, and the shared sense of history mark this episode, as Kentucky looks forward to meeting Iowa State and spinning this magical moment into a deeper run. As Matt sums it up: “This is why you’re a fan. Or for wins like this and games like today, you can put everything else aside. There’ll be plenty of time…for today, Kentucky gets a huge win. Ortega Owe makes a shot that all of us will remember for the rest of our lives and the Cats move on.”

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Next episode: KSR Pregame before Iowa State (airtime TBA, ~2.5 hours before tipoff).