Santa Clara HC Says He 'Unequivocally Called Timeout' Before Otega Oweh's Clutch 3 for Kentucky

Santa Clara head coach Herb Sendek said that he called a timeout prior to Kentucky guard Otega Oweh's buzzer-beating three that sent Friday's March Madness clash to overtime.

"I unequivocally called timeout," Sendek told reporters after the game. "But they didn't grant it. I think the video evidence is clear and anybody is able to pull it up. Which is a likely response after Allen hits the three, that the coach would be calling timeout to set the defense, which I tried to do and I was successful in doing other than it wasn't acknowledged or recognized."

Santa Clara forward Allen Graves connected on a go-ahead triple with two seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, although Oweh's last-second shot kept the Wildcats alive.

Kentucky went on to win the game in overtime by the final score of 89-84.

If Sendek was granted the timeout before Kentucky inbounded the ball, he could have brought in a defensive-minded lineup for the final possession and possibly instruct his team to intentionally foul with a three-point lead.

Instead, Oweh sent the game to overtime with an impressive buzzer-beater. He finished with 35 points on 11-of-24 shooting while grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out seven assists.

Santa Clara still had a chance to emerge victorious in overtime, taking a 79-77 lead with just over two minutes remaining. Kentucky immediately went on an 8-0 run to pull away and secure the win, though.

It was a tough end to an admirable season by Santa Clara, as the Broncos entered the tournament with a 26-8 record and made their first March Madness appearance since 1996.

Santa Clara has finished with a winning record in eight straight seasons under Sendek.