Bruce Pearl defends officials not granting Herb Sendek timeout before Otega Oweh's game-tying three-pointer

The controversy surrounding the Kentucky Wildcats‘ narrow NCAA Tournament escape against Santa Clara is layered. As the dust settles on their win, Bruce Pearl is weighing in.

Following Mark Pope’s squad notching an 89-84 overtime win over Santa Clara, much of the postgame conversation centered around a controversial late-game moment. Broncos head coach Herb Sendek appeared to signal for a timeout after his team hit a go-ahead three-pointer in the closing seconds of regulation, but officials never granted it.

Did Herb Sendek call timeout in time?? pic.twitter.com/D14uSm9eXF

— Barstool Gambling (@stoolgambling) March 20, 2026

Moments later, Otega Oweh buried a game-tying three that ultimately swung momentum in Kentucky’s favor. Speaking on the situation, Pearl acknowledged the controversy. Still, he defended the officials’ decision, pointing to the importance of possession in that split-second sequence.

“The two officials that are on trial need to be able to see two things,” Pearl said. “When Herb was calling timeout, did Kentucky have the ball in their possession underneath the basket? … Because Kentucky had the ball, I’m okay that Herb did not get the timeout.”

Pearl’s interpretation hinges on a key rule. Of course, teams can only be granted a timeout if they have clear possession. But in real time, officials must determine not only when the timeout is called, but also which team controls the ball. A nearly impossible task in a chaotic end-of-game scenario.

From Pearl’s perspective, that gray area makes the non-call defensible.

“I always tell my guys, get that ball through the net right away,” he explained, emphasizing how quickly teams must react to prevent situations like this.

Still, the moment remains a point of frustration for Santa Clara. Broadcast replays appeared to show Sendek signaling in time, but officials may not have seen him amid the scramble. 

In the end, the no-call proved to be a game-changer. Oweh took advantage of the chaos, finishing with a career-high 35 points, including the clutch three that forced overtime. Kentucky then took control in the extra period, outscoring Santa Clara by seven to avoid what would have been another shocking early exit.

Meanwhile, Pearl also pushed back on the broader narrative surrounding the game, noting the tendency for fans to rally behind underdogs in March over blue-bloods like the Wildcats.

“America wants to root for David, not Goliath,” Pearl explained. “Everybody’s rooting for Santa Clara. But these Kentucky kids, they’re still kids too.”

With the win, Kentucky keeps its tournament hopes alive. However, the debate over that final sequence isn’t going anywhere. In March, every possession matters. So do the moments that don’t get called.