Texas Tech basketball: The 5 defining games of Ronald Ross’ career

Ross downs Gonzaga with a late dagger from deep

Ross’s signature moment as a Texas Tech basketball player came in the most important win of the Bob Knight era.  With his team down a point and only 1:06 to play in the round-two game against No. 3 seed Gonzaga, Ross buried a three-pointer that proved to be the game-winning shot in a 71-69 upset.

All game long, Ross and Gonzaga star forward Adam Morrison engaged in a shootout that would have made Wyatt Earp proud.  The Tech point guard scored 24 points while pulling down nine rebounds, handing out four assists, and coming up with three steals.  Meanwhile, Morrison gave his team 25 points, nine rebounds, and two assists.

But when the game was on the line, only one of those two stars hit the shot his team needed.  Morrison missed a wide-open 3-pointer in the final minute that would have answered Ross’ dagger and put his team back on top.  Instead, Tech gathered the rebound and got the ball to Ross who calmly sank a pair of free throws to provide some much-needed breathing room.

In that game, Ross, Jackson, and Dora each played all 40 minutes.  All three scored in double-digits as did Zeno as Tech got all 71 of its points from its starters.

The win propelled Knight to the Sweet 16 for the final time in his legendary coaching career.  So it was fitting that it was one of his favorite players who hit the game-winner.

"“He’s an all-time example to kids as to what they can do with what they have,” Knight said of Ross. “I’ve never had a player that I would have had more admiration for than Ronald Ross – particularly when he hit that 3.”"