Despite Otega Oweh’s attendance issues, Mark Pope reveals his top quality: “He’s really good at being present”

Kentucky coach Mark Pope spoke highly of junior Otega Oweh who has been in a decent form this season. In the Wildcats' recent game against rival Louisville, Oweh scored 17 points and made three assists as they won 93-85.

After the game, Pope emphasized Oweh's impact on the team while also sharing a story that revealed more about the 6-foot-4 guard's character off the court.

"One of the great things about (Oweh) is that he lives in the moment," Mark said (via On3).

"I think he has an impressive ability to stay focused on the present without worrying much about the consequences of what might happen or what just occurred. He’s really good at being present — actually, he’s exceptional at it."

Furthermore, Mark Pope shared another anecdote about Otega Oweh and his struggles to attend early morning classes during his first semester at the university.

"Otega has an early morning class where he’s increasingly getting better at being present," he said. "A couple of days ago, it was all hands on deck to make sure he was there.

"Two minutes after class, we received a video from him of him sitting in an empty classroom because class was canceled, and we hadn’t known about it. He epitomizes being present."

Otega Oweh stats vs. Louisville (Dec. 14)

Otega Oweh, a New Jersey native, played a crucial role in Kentucky's win over the Louisville Cardinals on Saturday. At Rupp Arena, he scored 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field, including 1-of-2 from beyond the arc.

Here are Oweh's complete stat lines:

• 26 minutes played
• 17 points
• 1 rebound
• 3 assists
• 0 block
• 2 steals
• 0 turnovers
• 7-11 FG
• 1-2 3PT
• 2-4 FT

"This is a game I’m gonna always remember," Otega said postgame. "Just being a part of Kentucky, there’s so many things that are gonna happen day in and day out that you’re just always going to remember."

Otega Oweh has been consistently delivering impressive performances for the Wildcats. Earlier this season, he scored a season-high 21 points in two games.

Additionally, he is the team's leading scorer, averaging 15.7 points per game, ahead of senior guard Lamont Butler, who averages 15.1 ppg. Butler recorded a career-high 33 points in the win against Louisville.

No. 5 Kentucky Wildcats (10-1) have a week off before they face Ohio State (6-4) on Dec. 21 in a CBS Sports Classic matchup in New York City. They host the Brown Bears on Dec. 31 to conclude their non-conference play.