Otega Oweh scores 23, hits late jumper, and Kentucky beats LSU 87-82 to open the SEC Tournament

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Otega Oweh scored 23 points, including a key jumper with 1:12 remaining, and Brandon Garrison added 17 points off the bench as No. 9 seed Kentucky beat 16th-seeded LSU 87-82 on Wednesday in the opening game of the SEC Tournament.

Kentucky (20-12) advances to play No. 8 seed Missouri in the second round on Thursday. The Wildcats had not played on a Wednesday at this tournament since the SEC brought the event back in 1979.

Garrison, who entered with just two made 3-pointers on the season, made back-to-back 3-pointers during an 8-0 run that gave Kentucky a 73-64 lead with 9:32 remaining.

Oweh grabbed his own miss and brought it out to the 3-point arc before sinking a jumper from the free-throw line for an 83-76 lead. After an LSU layup at 49.6, Denzel Aberdeen made two free throws for a seven-point lead.

Aberdeen finished with 16 points for Kentucky. Kam Williams, who played in a game for the first time since Jan. 21 due to a broken foot, had three points in 17 minutes.

Max Mackinnon scored 18 of his 28 points in the second half for LSU (15-17). Mike Nwoko had 16 points and 12 rebounds, and Marquel Sutton and Jalen Reece each scored 11.

Mackinnon made a 3-pointer just before the halftime buzzer, off a nice drive and pass from Reece, to pull LSU within 46-43 at the break.

Reece’s steal and fast-break layup pulled the Tigers within 79-74 with 2:53 remaining following a 6-0 run, but that's as close as they got as Oweh made a driving layup at the other end for a seven-point lead.

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The Wildcats lost to Missouri 73-68 at Rupp Arena on Jan. 7.