John Calipari Says He Told Arkansas Player to Purposely Miss Game-Icing Foul Shot

Tim Capurso | Mar 12, 2025

Calipari talks with Davis during the game. / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

After Arkansas's 72-68 win over South Carolina in the first round of the SEC Tournament on Wednesday, John Calipari said he told Razorbacks guard Johnell Davis to intentionally miss a free throw that would have all but sealed the victory for his team.

Arkansas, leading by two points with 2.5 seconds remaining, had Davis at the line for two foul shots. The senior guard drained the first shot, then hurled a line drive shot on the second attempt, which somehow banked in for a make, putting the Razorbacks up by four.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Calipari said he instructed Davis to intentionally miss, in the hopes that the Gamecocks would have only a second to haul up a potential game-tying shot.

Arkansas was up 3 with 2.5 seconds left. John Calipari told Johnell Davis to intentionally miss the FT, which would have given South Carolina a chance at a game-tying shot

"I do some unconventional stuff"

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— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 12, 2025

"I've done that before," Calipari said when asked if the intent was to miss the second free throw. "You're up three and there's two seconds to go. Miss it. By the time they get it, there's a second. Now, the other side of that is, what if they throw one deep and bank it in?"

“I do some unconventional stuff,” he concluded.

After Davis's make, South Carolina called its final timeout. The game then ultimately ended on a South Carolina turnover. Calipari did admit that he felt some relief when he saw Davis sink the second foul shot.

"And he banked it in," Calipari said. "And I was like happy. I told him, 'Good, I'm glad you banked it in.' But he listened to me. He tried to miss it. He shot it flat and banked it in."

Calipari went on to liken the situation to another late-game scenario sometimes seen in college basketball.

"It's kind of like being up six with like, 18 seconds, 20 seconds [left]," Calipari continued. "You're up six. How about you foul? Because what are they coming down trying to do? Shoot a three. Foul. Now it's a four-point game and there's 12 seconds. Get it in, you're back to [a] six [point-lead]."

"Do you foul again? Maybe not, maybe so. Fouling up six ... It's not conventional but it's ... Things that make a difference sometimes."

Arkansas advances to play Ole Miss in the second round of the SEC Tournament on Thursday.

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