Despite raising Arkansas’ profile this season, John Calipari’s inaction effectively ended the season for the Razorbacks. Why didn’t he call a timeout in crunch time of the final game of the year?
John Calipari’s Late-Game Miscue Ends Season
With nine seconds left and Arkansas clinging to a three-point lead, John Calipari became a spectator. Instead of fouling, he instructed his team not to foul. As a result, Tech connected on a three-pointer to send the game into overtime. After leading by 13 points with 4:21 left in regulation, Texas Tech roared back.
Now, that wasn’t without help from the Razorbacks, who couldn’t make a shot, after enduring a season where two of his best players, forward Adou Thiero and point guard Boogie Fland, Calipari still placed his team in a position to advance to a regional final. Yet, despite the success, all many will remember is the last game’s mismanagement.
After 33 years and 1,154 games coached, winning 76% of his games means the coach knows how not to only recruit but lead his team.
However, he allowed the chaos to proceed, and the end of the game just fell flat. To his credit, Calipari took to the microphone during the postgame and owned up to the mistake. However, the phrasing just feels a little weird.
Cameron Salerno of CBS Sports captured the following quote:
“I usually let that go,” Calipari 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. Yeah, there were plays I wish they had done differently or made, but these kids gave everything, even in this game they gave everything they had to try to win the game.”
Why let that go? Situational basketball dictates the foul there. 364 of 365 coaches probably call for the foul in that situation. In a win-or-go game, why deviate from the norm? It’s not like Arkansas trailed at that point. With the lead, you can afford to be more cautious because it will not cost you.
Calipari rationalizes the move by proclaiming trust in his players. While admirable, that statement looks like the coach shifted blame and his player’s inability to lock down a shooter. The backhandedness of the compliment doesn’t sync with the actual film.
As a result, that word salad statement doesn’t explain anything. Stating that you’re playing exhibit situational awareness doesn’t absolve you from escaping responsibility.
Calipari compounds the ineffectiveness of his reaction when he says that he wishes the players had made or completely accomplished something different. So, that timeout probably wins the game, and Arkansas prepares for the Florida Gators. Coaches lord over their teams, acting as the final boss, the one who makes all of the big decisions.
The no-foul strategy will go down as one of the biggest recent blunders in the recent history of March Madness. Moreover, what was the Arkansas plan while being ahead by 13 points with four minutes on the clock? What did Calipari see that he thought this team could stifle the TTU run?
John Calipari has earned respect as a phenomenal recruiter and leader. However, the Arkansas collapse happened as he stood there and did little to stem the tide. The Arkansas players competed and controlled the game for the majority of the time.
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Yet, either Texas Tech overcame, or the Razorbacks folded. Part of that rests with the players. At the same time, the coach definitely needs to shoulder some of the responsibility. Calipari never made the call to foul, and look where that landed his team.
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