John Calipari gives bizarre explanation for controversial decision vs. South Carolina
Yesterday at 07:45 PM
The Arkansas basketball team nearly suffered a disastrous defeat in its first game of the SEC Tournament on Wednesday. The Razorbacks were taking on South Carolina, who came in last place in the SEC this year. Arkansas led by 20 points in the second half, but after scoring just two points in nearly 12 minutes, the Gamecocks cut the deficit down to one. The Razorbacks survived for a 72-68 win, but an interesting decision by head coach John Calipari could’ve cost the team.
Arkansas was at the free throw line with under three seconds remaining in the game. Johnell Davis made the first attempt to put the Razorbacks up by three, and one more make would essentially end the game. Davis tried to purposefully miss the second free throw, but he accidentally banked it in to put Arkansas up by four, and the game was over.
The decision to miss the free throw there doesn’t make a lot of sense. If Arkansas goes up by four with 2.5 seconds left, there is pretty much no chance that South Carolina will come back. It’s a two-possession game, and there are two seconds. With a miss, the Gamecocks can get the rebound and tie the game with a long heave. Is it likely? No, but why would Arkansas want to give them that chance?
“He tried to miss it,” John Calipari said after the game, according to a post from The Field of 68. “He shot it flat and banked it in. You’re up three and there’s two seconds to go, miss it. By the time they get it, there’s a second now. The other side of that is, what if they throw one deep and bank it in? But I’ve done it before, so I do some unconventional stuff. He banked it in and I was like, happy.”
That explanation doesn’t state how missing it and being up by three with two seconds left is better than being up by four with two seconds left, but hey, you do you, John.
Fortunately for Arkansas, the missed free throw attempt went in, and Razorbacks fans didn’t have to hold their breath as they watched a full-court heave soar through the air that could’ve tied the game at the buzzer. Had Davis’ free throw missed and South Carolina was able to tie it up on a play like that, Calipari would’ve been in trouble.
Nevertheless, the Arkansas basketball team got the win, and John Calipari’s squad is moving on to the next round in the SEC Tournament. The Razorbacks will take on Ole Miss tomorrow. The game will tip at noon CT from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, and it will be airing on the SEC Network. The Rebels are currently favored by 3.5 points.
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