Arkansas basketball's John Calipari makes painful admission after Texas Tech heartbreaker

03/28/2025 09:44 AM

Any hope of Arkansas potentially being the 2025 NCAA Tournament “Cinderella” team died in the Sweet Sixteen with its heartbreaking loss to Texas Tech. The Razorbacks’ late-game collapse has head coach John Calipari second-guessing a few of his strategic decisions, especially down the stretch.

While many factors led to the second-largest comeback in Sweet Sixteen history, Calipari came under scrutiny for his decision not to call a timeout on the game’s final possession. After Darrion Williams gave Texas Tech the lead with 7.3 seconds remaining, Calipari opted not to call a timeout and led his team go full court to attempt a game-tying shot. In hindsight, he wishes he had used his final timeout.

“In my career, I let that go,” Calipari said in his post-game presser. “Let the guy get to the rim; they’re not going to foul you. With that kind of time — just me, [if] you call timeout, now you gotta worry about what he’s doing, how they’re playing, the inbound. So, I usually let that go. Now, because it ended the way it did, yeah, I wish I would’ve called a timeout. But 99 percent of the time, I let that go.”

"I usually let that go. Now because it ended the way it did, yeah I wish I called a timeout. But 99% of the time I let that go."

Jon Calipari after Arkansas elimination in OT

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Point guard D.J. Wagner ended up taking the final shot, a discombobulated mid-range fadeaway with Elijah Hawkins draped all over him. The shot came up short, giving Texas Tech the 85-83 overtime victory.

Had Calipari called the final timeout, Arkansas might have been able to set up a play for Johnell Davis, who ended the night with a game-high 30 points. Instead, Davis did not get a touch on what was likely the final play of his collegiate career.

John Calipari ends Arkansas debut season in Sweet Sixteen

In a nutshell, the 2024-2025 season should be viewed as a success for Arkansas after missing out on the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Yet, with the level of preseason hype the team had, Calipari’s Razorbacks debut can only be viewed as a disappointment.

Entering the year at No. 16 in the preseason rankings, Arkansas’ 22-14 finish — including just 8-10 in the SEC — was far from what most expected from Calipari. Even without the aura of the Kentucky basketball program, most still expected the legendary coach to lead another team to title contention. Calipari brought his signature recruiting with him to Fayetteville, ushering in a class led by Davis, the 2024 AAC co-Player of the Year.

Yet, with an early loss to Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament, Arkansas entered the March Madness bracket as a 10 seed. A win over No. 2-seeded St. John’s made up for much of the team’s regular season shortcomings, but the subsequent collapse against Texas Tech puts a bitter end to a wayward transitional year.

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