After arriving on the Kentucky campus last summer, it did not take Otega Oweh long to find out how the Big Blue Nation felt about the Cats’ games against Louisville. Last season, he got to play in one for the first time as Kentucky beat Louisville 93-85 inside Rupp Arena.
What did Oweh think of his first Kentucky-Louisville contest?“
It was a great environment, especially since it was at home last year,” Oweh said. “The red versus blue is really cool.”
When asked about a memory that stood out in last season’s game, Oweh remembered a teammate getting caught up in the Louisville bench area.
“I would say (Brandon Garrison), when he was in the fire at their bench,” Oweh said. “We were just all out there.”
This year, No. 9 Kentucky travels down I-64 to face the 12th-ranked Cardinals. Oweh knows that it will be tough, especially on the road, but he doesn’t mind being away from home.
“It’s good to be a good away game,” Oweh said. “I kind of like away games because when you win, it means a little more when you win on your opponent’s turf.”
How does Oweh feed off the opposition’s fans and their negativity?
“They obviously say a lot of negative things trying to get you to play bad,” Oweh said. “So, it makes you not want to play bad. So, I definitely feed off of it.”
As a senior, Oweh has been in many hostile environments during his career. He knows that, in times of trouble, the Cats must turn inward for support.
“In situations like that, you have just got to look at your teammates and look at the people who are going to work with you,” Oweh said. “Championship teams do well on the road.”
Kentucky faces a daunting nonconference schedule this year that includes Michigan State, Gonzaga, North Carolina, Indiana and St. John’s. And the tough nonconference games get started on Tuesday night when the Cats hit the road to face the Cards in the Derby City.
Tip-off is 8:00 p.m. and the game will be televised on ESPN.