A halfcourt buzzer-beater forced overtime, but it was a disputed timeout no-call that stole the spotlight as No. 7 seed Kentucky survived a scare from No. 10 seed Santa Clara 89-84 on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
With Santa Clara leading 73-70 and 2.4 seconds left in regulation, Broncos forward Allen Graves drained a 3-pointer that appeared to give his team the upset victory. Broncos coach Herb Sendek immediately signaled for a timeout from the sideline, arms waving emphatically.
Officials did not grant the request. Kentucky inbounded the ball quickly, and guard Otega Oweh launched a desperation 3-pointer from just inside halfcourt. The shot banked in cleanly as the horn sounded, tying the score at 73-73 and sending the game to overtime at Enterprise Center.
Replays showed Sendek clearly calling for the timeout before the inbound. The non-call allowed Kentucky to set up the tying shot without Santa Clara getting a chance to defend or foul. Social media erupted with criticism of the officials, with many fans and analysts arguing the timeout should have been awarded.
SANTA CLARA-KENTUCKY ABSOLUTELY INSANE FINISH TO REGULATION!
Spero Dedes and Jim Spanarkel with the call for CBS. #MarchMadness #NCAATournament pic.twitter.com/gQfq9sehGd
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 20, 2026
Kentucky pulled away in the extra session behind Oweh, who finished with 35 points. The Wildcats advanced to the second round, while Santa Clara’s Cinderella run ended in its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1996.
Sendek, a former Kentucky assistant under Rick Pitino from 1989-93, nearly orchestrated a massive upset against his old program. The Broncos led late and played Kentucky even for most of the night.
Kentucky coach Mark Pope’s team improved to 22-13. Santa Clara fell to 26-9.
The sequence capped a frantic finish that included Kentucky tying the game on an Oweh layup with nine seconds left before Graves’ go-ahead triple.
The timeout controversy ensured the ending of regulation will be replayed and debated long after the final buzzer, adding to the chaos of March Madness’ opening day.
