By merely “baking the cake,” Otega Oweh has been shaking, baking, and scoring

[ad_1] We hear it on a regular basis in sports activities, whether or not as a fan, media member, or in our time taking part in them: Execute the basics. Do the atypical issues rather well, and the remaining will care for itself.

Mark Pope had an fascinating solution to say that to Otega Oweh earlier this season, when it seemed like Oweh was struggling and never taking part in on the degree we noticed final season. Throughout the recreation at Tennessee three weeks in the past, ESPN’s Dan Shulman stated on the printed that Pope advised Oweh, “You may’t deal with the icing. You’ve received to bake the cake.”

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Clearly, that has resonated with Oweh. The end result has been a cake that retains getting layers added to it, eight to be precise. Oweh has eight video games in SEC play with 20+ factors. In every of his final two video games, Oweh has scored 24 factors in each of them.

“He’s a nasty dude,” assistant coach Jason Hart stated. “You realize, Otega Oweh is a very good basketball participant. He’s constant, he’s our chief. You realize, generally I kinda be in awe watching him. He’s been taking part in at a excessive degree, and that’s why he was Preseason SEC Participant of the 12 months.”

Oweh solely scored 20+ factors twice in non-conference play. In SEC play, he’s been a completely completely different participant. He’s taking pictures 49.3 p.c from the ground, 37.2 p.c from three-point vary, has 4 video games with 5+ rebounds, and has 19 steals.

“He’s simply our go-to man, at all times has been,” Andrija Jelavic stated. “It’s probably not a giant deal when he scores 20 plus. That’s simply one thing we depend on him to do, and that’s one thing he does each recreation, and an important factor is that he scores on all three ranges.

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“It’s not simply that he scores inside or outdoors, he’s compelled three’s, mid-ranges, fancy rebounds. He scores slashing, and yeah, that’s actually necessary for us, and when he’s on the courtroom, he’s our chief. He’s the oldest one, probably the most skilled one, we’re taking care of him.”

Kentucky’s greatest participant is taking part in like this staff’s greatest participant. It has raised the ceiling for this Kentucky staff, a staff that has gained seven of eight since an 0-2 begin to SEC play and 11 of 14 since no matter that was in opposition to Gonzaga. Oweh has 10 video games with 20+ factors since then.

“Otega is simply an elite participant,” Oklahoma head coach Porter Moser stated. “He can knock down the shot, and he places you in an actual decision-making mode of ball screens, as a result of he can flip the nook on you, and now he’s making actually good selections passing out of it. He’s changing into an entire participant. He’s so sturdy on protection.”

In three video games since transferring from Oklahoma to Kentucky, Oweh has torched the Sooners. He has scored at the very least 24 factors in every of them. Final season, Oweh hit game-winners in each video games in opposition to the Sooners. Wednesday night time, he didn’t have to unleash his aptitude for the dramatic. He took over the sport within the second half and led Kentucky in shutting the door on Wednesday night time’s recreation and his former staff’s season.

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The cake Oweh is baking has numerous layers to it already, and much more appear poised to be added. If Oweh retains producing at this degree, that remaining layer goes to be positioned larger and better. Closing… 4? With Oweh taking part in like this, something appears attainable. He’s specializing in baking the cake. The remainder, because it has for practically all of Kentucky’s final eight video games, is caring for itself.