Big House, Big Moment: Corey Gaines’s Iconic 1995 Buzzer-Beater Against Ole Miss Cemented His Razorback Legacy and Ignited SEC Tournament Magic
In the rich tapestry of Arkansas Razorbacks basketball history, few moments pulse with the electricity and emotional magnitude of Corey “Big House” Gaines’s unforgettable buzzer-beater against Ole Miss in the 1995 SEC Tournament. It was the kind of shot that doesn’t just win games—it defines legacies, cements names in lore, and echoes across generations of Razorback fans.
The game was tense from start to finish. The Rebels had given Arkansas everything they could handle, trading leads and defensive blows like heavyweights in the ring. But in those final seconds, with the clock winding down and the score knotted, the ball found its way into the hands of Gaines—a player known more for his hustle and leadership than flashy scoring. Still, in that moment, he became a hero.
As the buzzer blared and the ball dropped clean through the net, the arena erupted. Teammates swarmed Gaines in celebration, while stunned Ole Miss players stood motionless, processing the heartbreak. It was a vintage March moment, raw and exhilarating, delivering all the drama that college basketball fans live for.
For Gaines, a senior who had always embodied grit and unselfish play, the shot was more than a highlight—it was a culmination. A recognition of the countless hours of practice, the underappreciated plays, and the relentless drive he brought every night. Though he would never be the team’s leading scorer, that game-winning shot became a defining memory for the team and fans alike.
“I wasn’t the first option,” Gaines would later say in interviews. “But I knew if I got the ball, I’d take the shot. And I had full confidence it was going in.”
The 1995 season was already a landmark year for the Razorbacks, still riding high from their 1994 national championship and looking to defend their crown. Gaines’s heroics in the SEC Tournament added another pulse to the program’s championship heartbeat and proved once again that big moments don’t always belong to the stars—they belong to those ready to seize them.
Even decades later, Arkansas fans still recall that game with clarity. The roar of the crowd. The perfect arc of the ball. The silence before the swish. And Corey Gaines, the unlikeliest of heroes, raising his arms in triumph as the “Big House” delivered one of the biggest shots in Razorback history.
