Arkansas led for the entire game – sometimes by double digits. But in a game defined by a bunch of runs, it was finished by a lack of a run.

Texas Tech hit a couple free throws to get the game to a 1 point game with 2 minutes to play. Arkansas did a good job of taking some time off the clock, but missed their drive to the basket, so Texas Tech had a chance to take the lead. And then they walk the ball up the court.

With 1:15, Mac McClung draws a foul dribbling outside trying to get open, but the 82% FT shooter missed the free throw.

Arkansas takes another 20 seconds off the clock, but misses a long three-pointer, and Texas Tech starts walking the ball up the court. There is 50 seconds in the game, you are down 1 point, and you are helping the other team take time off the clock. Terrance Shannon Jr drives to the basket but missed the layup.

Then, it gets stranger. Because there is only 34 seconds left – if they miss, you are going to get the ball with 3-4 seconds, so you should foul. But Texas Tech lets Arkansas walk the ball up the court, and then finally, reach in on Arkansas’ JD Notae to stop the clock with 19 seconds. That’s right, down 1 point, they let 15 seconds drop off the clock without trying to trap the ball and steal it. They simply let Notae unguarded dribble 15 seconds off the clock.

Notae makes the first free throw and misses the second one to give Texas Tech one more chance with 19 seconds. And Texas Tech WALKS the ball up the court. It was like they thought there was still 15 minutes in the game instead of 15 seconds. Arkansas pressures them to the point that there is only 6 seconds left to where the announcers even say that they need to do something soon because they are running out of time. Kyler Edwards drives to the basket for a well-guarded contested layup, the ball harmlessly falls off the rim, and Notae gets the rebound to end the game.

Notice I said gets the rebound to end the game – because by the time Notae got the rebound, Texas Tech didn’t have any more time on the clock to foul him. The game was over. It is one thing when the team with the lead successfully plays keepaway to drain the clock. But it is amazing to me that a team losing by 1 to 2 points would take close to 35 seconds off the clock because they have no urgency for the need to tie the game.

Arkansas played better basketball for 38 minutes – and so not trying to take anything away from their victory. But Texas Tech played with no urgency to try to tie or win the game in the final 2 minutes – and then with 6 seconds left in the game were forced into a desperate drive that failed and ended their season. If they had simply rushed the ball up the court, they would have had a good 14-15 seconds to set up their offense and possibly get a much better shot. Not to mention the 20 seconds they let go off the clock by not fouling fast enough or bringing the ball up slowly on other drives.

I get that if you tie the game with too much time in the game, then you have to play defense to stop the other team from taking the lead back. But isn’t it a better situation to be playing defense for 15 seconds where if you succeed, you go to overtime. It makes no sense to me to not give yourselves another chance if you miss because you are afraid they might score afterwards.