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

Dora almost never got the opportunity to shoot that famous shot

As is the case in most tightly-contested games, a forgotten moment turned the course of this contest.  This time, it actually went Tech’s way.

Most might not remember that Dora’s shot actually came off of a controversial Kansas turnover on the Red Raider end of the court.

On the prior possession, Jackson had pulled the trigger on his own deep 3-pointer with about 12 seconds to play.  It was an ill-advised shot as he took it off the dribble and over two defenders.  In fact, he was so off-balance when he shot the ball that he ended up on his backside as it clanged off the rim.

Of all the people on the floor to grab the rebound, it was 6-foot-1 KU point guard Aaron Miles who got his hands on it.  But immediately, Ross, Zeno, and Devonne Giles swarmed Miles to try to get the ball back.

Covering up the ball and trying to pivot away from the pressure, Miles shuffled his feet and was called for traveling.  That gave the ball back to Tech with 7.9 seconds to play.

How you see this crucial call depends on if you were watching this game in Kansas or Texas.  Those in the Sunflower State likely felt that a reaching foul should have been called and those in the Lone Star State clearly felt like Miles shuffled his feet.  In reality, it was a 50/50 call and in a case of the home team catching a break, Tech came out the beneficiary.

If the call had gone against Tech, Miles could have gone to the line and iced the game with two free throws.  And even had he missed one, Tech would have had to go the length of the court with just seconds to play.  But that wasn’t the case and Dora was allowed the opportunity to play the hero.