SAN FRANCISCO – For most of the night, Darrion Williams struggled to find his shot. But when it mattered most, he delivered, lifting Texas Tech to an improbable spot in the Elite Eight.

Williams nailed a game-tying three-pointer in the final seconds of regulation, then scored the go-ahead basket with 7.3 seconds left in overtime to secure Texas Tech’s 85-83 victory over Arkansas on Thursday night.

“The heart of this team is Darrion Williams—he’s relentless,” said head coach Grant McCasland. “I have complete faith in him because I know he’ll do whatever it takes to win in these moments.”

In the first overtime game of this year’s NCAA tournament, the third-seeded Red Raiders (28-8) pulled off a dramatic comeback after trailing by 13 points with under five minutes remaining. The 10th-seeded Razorbacks (22-14), coached by John Calipari, controlled the game for nearly 39 minutes, while Texas Tech led for just over three minutes.

The Red Raiders will now face top-seeded Florida in the West Region final on Saturday, seeking their second Final Four appearance since their 2019 title-game loss to Virginia.

For much of the game, an Arkansas victory seemed inevitable. The Razorbacks built a 16-point lead early in the second half, making Texas Tech’s rally one of the largest comebacks in Sweet 16 history.

“In the huddle, Coach kept telling us, ‘We’re going to find a way to win,’” said guard Christian Anderson. “Even when we were down 16 with 10 minutes left, we believed. We knew we had to make plays—defensive stops, rebounds, steals—whatever it took.”

Williams, who missed 13 of his first 15 shots, found his rhythm when it counted. Texas Tech closed regulation with a 16-3 run, fueled by Anderson’s three clutch three-pointers and Williams’ key buckets. His biggest moment came with 9.7 seconds left, draining a three after Arkansas’ Jonas Aidoo missed a crucial free throw.

“Shots weren’t falling, but I was taking good ones,” Williams said. “I knew they’d eventually go in.”

Texas Tech took its first lead since the opening minutes when JT Toppin scored to start overtime. The game remained tight, with Arkansas’ D.J. Wagner tying it up with 34 seconds left before Williams muscled in the decisive basket. Wagner’s last-second shot bounced off the rim, triggering a Red Raiders celebration at midcourt.

“If we had just given up, our season would be over,” Williams said. “None of us were ready for that.”

As Texas Tech celebrated, Calipari walked off the court, his hopes of reaching the Elite Eight with a fourth different program dashed. The loss marked the biggest blown lead in an NCAA tournament game for a Calipari-coached team.

“We’re all disappointed,” Calipari admitted. “But I’m proud of my guys. They gave everything they had this season.”

Anderson led Texas Tech with 22 points, while Williams and Toppin each contributed 20. Arkansas was powered by Johnell Davis’ 30 points and Karter Knox’s 20.

Texas Tech now looks ahead to a battle with Florida, hoping to keep their championship dreams alive.