“The guys that make game-winners are the guys that are not afraid to miss them.” Calipari and his Razorbacks sure know how to cut it close! Even after procuring a dominant 20-point lead, it all came down to Johnell Davis at the line. The six-foot-four guard shot arguably the most important shots in the game with just 2.5 seconds left on the clock and led Arkansas to a messy victory over South Carolina. However, John Calipari couldn’t hold back his shock during Nelly’s second free-throw. What exactly happened?

Well, the transfer from Florida banked in his second shot. No one knew whether it was an honest mistake or an intent to miss the shot for an offensive rebound. And in exactly the same way, no one knew why exactly John Calipari reacted the way that he did. His expression after he made the free-throw was one to take note of, and apparently his peers did!

On The Field of 68: After Dark, analyst Jeff Goodman talked about how Calipari’s peers responded to his reaction. “I got flooded with comments [from college coaches], and one of them unbelievably said ‘a junior high school coach wouldn’t do that’, I’m literally flabbergasted.” If Arkansas planned to force another two or three point possession, then it was a very risky gamble for them.

Goodman explained that the made free-throw was a blessing for the Razorbacks. It was a do-or-die game for Cal’s crew, as a loss would crush their March Madness hopes. “If they blow this game, let’s say Nelly misses that, and it carroms off the rim hard? You’ve got momentum going the other way. South Carolina grabs the ball, and they might be able to get a shot from half-court that might end up tying the game.” We’ve seen it a million times in March, games going down to the wire, half-court heaves ending dreams. So, it was definitely for the best that Johnell Davis sunk his foul shots.

John Calipari addresses the ugly finish against South Carolina

The Razorbacks nearly choked away a 20-point lead, faltering in the second half as South Carolina’s Collin Murray-Boyles (20 points) fueled a furious rally. Trevon Brazile (16 points) and Davis’s late free-throws saved the day, but Arkansas went 12 minutes without a field goal, shooting 32% after halftime. Calipari, though, shrugged it off.

“We have a bunch of guys that compete and did what they had to do win the game, so I’m happy,” Calipari said about his team’s efforts against South Carolina. “Would you like to have it a big score? Yeah, but at this time of the year, everybody is fighting for their lives.” 

If Arkansas had lost to the last-place South Carolina once more, then their bid for the NCAA Tournament could be jeopardized. However, it seems like destiny wants them to reach the heights that they’re capable of. Boogie Fland and Adou Thiero’s injuries set Calipari’s team back by a lot, but a comeback is still in the cards. It will be interesting to see how they progress in the playoffs with the odds set against them.