Texas Tech basketball: Hidden moments that cost Tech the Kentucky game

Chris Clarke throws the ball out of bounds with 1.6 seconds to go in the first half

Seniors are supposed to be the steadying influences on a young team.  They should be the ones that the head coach can count on to make solid decisions and not get swept up in the moment.

Unfortunately, grad transfer Chris Clarke was a victim of trying to do too much in a frantic moment that proved to be deadly.  In fact, his mistake just before the end of the first half completely changed the complexion of the game.

With Tech leading 34-33, Clarke attempted to inbound the ball to Davide Moretti with about four seconds remaining in the half and the clock running after a Kentucky basket.  Throwing the ball past mid-court, he attempted a high-risk, low-reward play that most likely wouldn’t have led to points even if the somewhat surprised Moretti had been able to corral the ball along the sideline.

But he couldn’t and Kentucky got the ball back with 1.6 seconds to play.  Of course, we all know what happened next.  Immanuel Quickley took the inbounds pass and hit a half-court shot that put his team up 36-34 at the break and proved to be one of the defining moments of the game.

Clarke simply has to know better.  He’s a senior who has been in some high-pressure situations thanks to his three years of playing in the ACC with Virginia Tech.  Thus, he is being counted on to be one of the Red Raiders wiser players.

There just was no good reason to take such a risk.  Tech was already set to head into the halftime with the lead and the momentum after an unlikely 4-point scouring outburst from Tchewa.

But when Clarke’s ill-advised attempt to complete a long-shot play backfired, it opened up the smallest of windows for UK and they managed to take advantage.  Though that half-court heave took the wind out of the arena when it connected, we had no idea that it would prove to be so pivotal in the overall outcome of the game.  And it was all set up by a foolish decision by a senior that can’t be taking such risks.