March Madness always delivers its share of twists, and Arkansas’ season ended in one of the more painful turns of the tournament. Under head coach John Calipari, the Razorbacks appeared poised to reach the Elite Eight—only to see a 16-point second-half lead vanish in an 85-83 overtime loss to Texas Tech.
Wally Szczerbiak Came on John Calipari’s Side Of the No-Foul Decision
While fans and analysts were quick to question Calipari’s late-game strategy, former NBA player and CBS Sports analyst Wally Szczerbiak came to his defense, particularly over the decision not to foul in the final seconds of regulation.
“I don’t understand why you foul when there’s that much time left on the clock.”@wallyball defends Coach Calipari’s decision not to foul at the end of regulation. pic.twitter.com/enBj29DYuh
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 28, 2025
“Listen, there were 10 seconds left, so the 3 went, tied the game. They still had 10 seconds to get the final shot and get the win. That’s why you don’t foul to extend the game when you’re leading by 3,” Szczerbiak said during CBS’ postgame coverage.
He then further expanded on the logic.
“I don’t understand why you foul when there’s that much time left on the clock. I’ve never played for a coach that didn’t pass 10 seconds. When you’re around five seconds and you can get the ball, you can also do timing things. You’ve got to understand, if you foul over five seconds, it could be a 4-point play.”
The controversy came after Texas Tech erased a commanding Razorbacks lead in the Sweet 16 matchup at Chase Center in San Francisco. Arkansas had appeared to be in full control and on track for a statement win that would further validate their late-season surge.
Calipari, who took over the program this season, seemed on the verge of one of the most significant coaching turnarounds of his career. But that promise evaporated when Texas Tech forced overtime and eventually closed the door.
“We gave up a lead, but we did that a bunch this year,” Calipari said. “Up (16) and all of a sudden you turn around and it’s a two-point game.”
The loss marked the first time Calipari has lost an NCAA Tournament game when leading by six or more points at halftime. He had been 35-0 in such situations before Friday’s defeat.
Texas Tech head coach Grant McCasland credited his team’s resilience.
“I kept telling these guys in timeouts that we’re going to win the game,” McCasland said. “I told them we’re going to make it when it matters. I believe it with all my heart. That’s Red Raider basketball.”
Wally Szczerbiak Defends Calipari’s Coaching Decision
One of the most talked-about moments came in the final seconds of regulation. Arkansas, up by three, chose not to foul before Texas Tech attempted a potential game-tying three-pointer. Critics argued a foul would have forced Tech into free throws, likely eliminating the chance of a tying shot.
After Darrion Williams hit a hook shot to put Texas Tech ahead by two in overtime, Arkansas had one last chance. Calipari opted not to use his final timeout. DJ Wagner hesitated as he crossed halfcourt—possibly anticipating a timeout—then launched a contested jumper at the buzzer that missed.
Calipari later reflected on the decision.
“I usually let that go,” he said. “Now, because it ended the way it did, yeah, I wish I would have called a timeout. But 99% of the time, I let that go because now I know what they’re doing, they know what we’re doing. That’s why we did it.”
KEEP READING: Fans Blame Key DJ Wagner Error For Arkansas’ Late Loss to Texas Tech
While Szczerbiak defended the strategy, not everyone agreed. ESPN host Matt Jones was blunt in his assessment:
“Deflate the ball. Don’t foul down 3. No timeout. Long 2. Heck of a season turnaround by Cal but some things never change.”
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