Texas Tech Rallies of 16 to beat Arkansas in First Ot -competition in March Madness

Darrion Williams Could hardly make a shot for the first 30 minutes. He didn’t miss it when it mattered the most Texas Tech To an unlikely place in the elite eight.

Williams scored the Go-Ahead basket with 7.3 seconds in the extension after binding the game with a 3-pointer in the last seconds of regulations to Leiden Texas Tech Tech on Thursday evening to an 85-83 victory over Arkansas.

“The heart of the team is Darrion Williams,” said coach Grant McCasland. “He is just a resilient man. I can’t even explain it. I have done faith in him because I believe he will find a way in scenarios of one game to do what is needed to win. I honestly. Whatever it is needed.”

The first overtime game of March Madness was thanks to a furious comeback by the third placed Red raiders (28-8) From 13 points down with less than 5 minutes against the 10th placed coach John Calipari Razorbacks (22-14).

Texas Tech went on Saturday to play the top-ranking Florida in the West Region final with a chance of the second last four journey of the school after losing the title match to Virginia in 2019.

That idea seemed to be far -fetched for most of this game when Arkansas broke out to a double digits ahead and the majority of the road was in control, with no less than 16 points in the second half.

“In the Huddle, coach said we will find a way to win this, regardless of how much we are no more than” Christian Anderson said. “If a team we had that look, we don’t lose this game whatever happens. … We had to find a way to let it happen. And in the end we did that, so that’s it.”

Williams helped the Red Raiders along the play after opening the game by missing 13 of his 15 shots for a large contingent of his friends and family who came from Sacramento before the game.

But the Red Raiders closed the regulations with a 16-3 point behind three 3-Pointers from Anderson and three baskets of Williams. The biggest came when he rattled in a 3 with 9.7 seconds after Jonas Aidoo Had missed the front of one and one.

Williams had missed eight of his first nine attempts of 3 of 3 before.

“Of course they didn’t go inside, but I photographed open,” said Williams. “They will fall.”

JT Toppin then scored to start overtime and give Texas Tech his first lead since the opening minutes and it went back and forth, with DJ Wagner Bind it for Arkansas with 34 seconds.

Williams then scored low to give Texas Tech the leading role and Wagner’s last shot hit the front edge and sent the Red Raiders in a wild celebration on midcourt while Williams pointed to the crowd after the third biggest comeback in Sweet 16 History.

Calipari was only able to walk off the field with lips chased and a sigh when his first season in Arkansas ended in a heartache after he was just not the first coach to bring four schools to the Elite Eight.

“We are all disappointed here,” said Calipari. “But I told them, there is nothing that is individual or my team could disappoint me because of what they did this year. I am so proud of them.”

Anderson scored 22 points to lead Texas Tech, while Toppin and Williams added 20 each.

Johnell Davis scored 30 points for the razorbacks and Karter Knox Added 20.

Reporting by the Associated Press.

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