Todd Golden explains decision to foul Texas Tech early, how it sparked comeback

Florida outscored Texas Tech by 14 points over the last 3:55 of regulation to storm past the Red Raiders 84-79 and advance to the Final Four for the first time since 2014. Florida head coach Todd Golden called it a calculated effort from his group.

Trailing by multiple scores coming out of the final media timeout, Golden’s plan started with a couple of fouls that forced Texas Tech into 1 and 1 free throw situations. Down 6 points, Texas Tech’s Darrion Williams missed the first with 2:42 left on the clock. Florida hero Walter Clayton Jr. took advantage, and nailed one of his several 3-point baskets in the second half. Red Raiders star JT Toppin missed his free throw attempt the next time down the floor, and Clayton tied it on the very next possession.

“They do a good job milking the game when they have a lead,” Golden said of forcing the 1 and 1 free throw situations late in the game. “[Darrion Williams] and [JT] Toppin are very good individual one-on-one players. It felt like from the eight-minute mark to the four-minute mark they were getting them in iso situations, and we don’t double on the post a lot, so they’re getting a late clock and putting the ball in.

“We felt like being down nine or 10, whatever it was, at the under-four, we had to find a way to get a few more possessions in the ball game and try to stretch it out a little bit. And being in the one-on-one we thought that was an opportunistic time to foul their front court, given the opportunity.”

Golden revealed that Toppin, a 68% free throw shooter, was the primary player they wanted to foul in these situations. Williams was the Gators’ second choice. Those two possessions completed a six-point swing in Florida’s favor that tied the game. Shortly after, they’d take the lead and hold onto it for the rest of regulation.

“It was a calculated decision we had to make at that point where we needed to get more possessions in the game,” Golden said. “It worked out well for us.”

Now, the Gators are back in the Final Four for the first time in over a decade, and for the first time under head coach Todd Golden. Florida will await the winner of No. 1 seed the Auburn Tigers vs. No. 2 seed Michigan State Spartans, which is set for Sunday afternoon.