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Texas Tech basketball classics: Daryl Dora; Red Raiders topple KU in double OT in 2005

By Matthew Conner

BUFFALO, NY - MARCH 20: Bobby Knight, coach of Texas Tech talks to a referee during a game against St Josephs University on March 20, 2004 during the Second round of the NCAA Mens basketball Championships at HSBC Arena in Buffalo, New York.(Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty ImagesI)
BUFFALO, NY - MARCH 20: Bobby Knight, coach of Texas Tech talks to a referee during a game against St Josephs University on March 20, 2004 during the Second round of the NCAA Mens basketball Championships at HSBC Arena in Buffalo, New York.(Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty ImagesI) /
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Inside the play of the game

To say that Dora was the most unlikely of heroes would be a massive understatement.  Especially given how he won the game.

It isn’t that Dora was a poor player.  Rather, he was poor that year at doing what he did on Tech’s final shot of the night…hitting a 3-pointer.

Entering the game, the Gonzales, Texas native was just 9-27 from beyond the arc.  And when you factor in 0-4 shooting from deep prior to his game-winning long-range dagger with just three seconds to play, his 3-point percentage was just 29%.  Additionally, he would shoot just under 27% from deep for the year, the worst 3-point shooting season of his Red Raider career.

It was a stunning decision to even shoot the ball given that earlier in the game, Dora had bricked two 3’s so hard that they nearly broke the basket at the United Spirit Arena.  But perhaps Dora was just too confident to keep from firing away at the game’s biggest juncture with his team down 79-77…or perhaps he was too young to know better.

On the play, KU had been forced to take out senior forward Christian Moody, a cagy veteran who had just fouled out.  In his place, Bill Self inserted freshman Sasha Kaun, who was tasked with guarding Dora.

The ball was inbounded to Ronald Ross on the wing.  For some reason, Dora (of all people) came streaking to the top of the key calling for the ball…and for some reason, Ross gave it to him.

That year, Tech entered the game leading the nation in 3-point shooting at 45% as a team.  Five Red Raiders were shooting over 40% from deep and three of them, Ronald Ross, Jarrius Jackson, and Martin Zeno were on the floor at that time.  So to say that the plan was for Dora to fire away might be a bit of a stretch.

But seeing that Kaun had not come out to challenge him, Dora turned and fired without hesitation in one of the greatest “No…No…No….YES…YES…YES!” moments in Texas Tech basketball history.  Sometimes, it is better to be more confident than you are wise.

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