Norfolk State: post mortem

College basketball, like much of life, is a bottom line business.  It doesn't matter how many points you score if the other team scores one more.  It doesn't matter how pretty your jerseys are, or how cool your mascot is, or how big your school is.  It only matters if you win.

The bottom line for Georgia right now is that they're 9-3, their best record coming out of non-conference play in 4 years.  Things haven't always been pretty, but they needed at least 9 wins, and they got them.  What we saw tonight probably won't cut it on Tuesday, but for this night at least, it was good enough:

• Thank you, J.J. Frazier.  On a night when the usual suspects - Thornton, Gaines, and Mann - all struggled, Frazier was there with big shot after big shot.  His driving layup and 3-pointer was the biggest sequence of the game for Georgia.
• Honestly, it never felt like Georgia was in trouble, even when the lead was cut to four.  Unlike the Mercer game, it was pretty apparent Norfolk State didn't quite have the horsepower to stay with the Bulldogs, even on a night that felt sluggish from the very start.
• Norfolk State did have Jeff Short, though, who will probably cause some problems for some folks in the MEAC this year.  The kid can score.  Kenny Gaines' defense caused Marcus Foster to give up on Wednesday, but Short played through it and managed to work his way to some points.
• The Spartans set the tone inside early by blocking 6 shots in the first few minutes of the game.  The Dawgs just weren't able to get things going in the paint, which was a bit concerning because Norfolk State isn't particularly big.
• Nemi Djurisic's struggles, in particular, are becoming concerning.  It's a testament to the team that they've been able to win without big contributions from him, but he will be needed as conference play rolls around.
• I have no idea how Cameron Forte got that ball from his hip to the basket before he landed, and it happened right in front of me.  Pretty athletic, Cam.
• Georgia was out-rebounded again, and that is scary.  Even more scary?  They gave up 18 offensive rebounds.  The success of Mark Fox coached teams is always going to center on good defense and limiting possessions.  The defense has been there, but the offensive rebounds have to stop.
• Blah blah free throws.  Blah blah going to cost us.  Blah blah.
• Really nice effort by jumping-jack guy to get a lethargic crowd into the game.  Hopefully people were just saving their energy for Tuesday night.

Things get real when Arkansas brings their 11 wins to Athens in three days.  The game is on ESPN, and a win would tell folks that Georgia is serious about getting back to the tournament this year.  Let's get it done and, please ESPN, no Bobby Knight.