Dream a little dream

It's the weekend, and the dream is alive:

Patrick Hamilton, who starred as a guard for the Bulldogs in the late 1980s, is a teacher at Wheeler High and an assistant coach for the Wildcats’ recently-crowned Class AAAAAA state championship team. So he knows Brown well and has closely monitored his recruitment.

In fact, Hamilton said he talked to Brown this week about where the Bulldogs fit in.

“I asked him if Georgia was still in the hunt or not in the hunt,” Hamilton said. “He said, ‘oh, yeah, they’re still in the hunt.’ So I do think we have a shot.”

We're probably less than a month out from Brown's announcement, so let's embrace this quiet moment and allow ourselves to hope.  No need to fear disappointment.  We've known plenty of that around these parts.

[AJC]

Tennessee takes a mulligan

Donnie Tyndall is out.  This has been your daily dose of "Yeah, we all saw that coming."

Now it's time for Dave Hart to pretend there was no way he could have known...

[ESPN]

In defense of Mark Fox

A year ago, I thought it was time to part ways with Mark Fox.

It was nothing personal.  I don't know the man.  I shook hands with him once.  That's the extent of our relationship.

No, it had everything to do with my perception of the program.  I thought last year's team was good enough to get to the tournament, and they didn't get there.  The 2014 recruiting class was...non-existent.  There were 0 recruits signed.  Even though it looked like a strong team would be returning, I did not see a program on the rise.

The day Yante Maten and Osahen Iduwe committed to the G, my opinion started to change, and now that the season is complete I feel very differently.  Over the next few days, I want to defend that position and explain why I think Mark Fox has earned the right to keep building this program his way.  If you don't agree with me, I can't say I blame you.  It is not so clear as to be black and white.

There is healthy debate over whether or not Fox is the man to lead Georgia basketball to the next level.  I think he is.  Stay tuned.

Graduate transfers

It's with great excitement that I point you towards the Georgia Basketball Blog.  This makes at least 3 or 4 blogs dedicated to Georgia basketball, which means we're only a couple hundred short of the football team.

The blog is owned by the outstanding HeckWithTech, and if his posts there are half as informative as his posts on the Scout forums, he'll soon put us all out of business.  In particular, his knowledge around the grind that is recruiting is almost unsurpassed, so if that's what you're into, bookmark his blog now.

His most recent post was on the topic of graduate transfers, something Fox has thus far failed to exploit to Georgia's advantage.  If you take a look at his list of some of last year's rentals, you'll see that they can make quite an impact.

The big prize this year seems to be Mike Thorne, Jr. out of Charlotte.  That's the type of player that could take an already stacked Georgia team and turn them into SEC title contenders - and no, I'm not kidding.

[Georgia Basketball Blog]

SEC coaching

Rick Ray is out, Ben Howland is in at Mississippi State.

Anthony Grant is out, Gregg Marshall is in at Alabama?  Not as likely as some think, but the Tide are going to make a run.

If it happened though, the SEC would have John Calipari, Bruce Pearl, Howland, and Marshall.  Those are some high-profile college basketball coaches in a conference many consider to be a hoops-afterthought.

How you feel about all of this likely depends on how you feel about Coach Fox.  If you have confidence that Fox is on the right track, it should excite you.  A better SEC is good for Georgia.  If, however, you still aren't sold on Fox, I suspect you find yourself a little queasy right about now...

[ESPN]

Moving on

In college basketball, there is no time for pouting.  Mark Fox has been here before - 4 years ago - and the job of wondering what might have been is left mostly to us fans.  If I remember correctly, Fox was on a plane the night of the loss in 2011 to go recruit Dwayne Polee on the west coast.

Does it help if Michigan State keeps winning?  Probably.  There were two 7 seeds that stuck out like a sore thumb in this tournament, and both are still standing in the Sweet 16.  There is a randomness to the tournament that's as beautiful as it is frustrating, and Georgia came out on the wrong end of it this year.

Either way, if you feel differently than you felt 4 years ago, you're not the only one:

“This group, and the entire program is just on more stable ground right now,” Fox said on Friday afternoon, after his team’s 70-63 loss to Michigan State. “I don’t anticipate anybody jumping out and leaving early for the NBA. What feels different is I feel like we brought a fan base that rolled their sleeves up. We brought people that wanted to be here and fight for our team. Our support has grown.

“It feels different than it did a few years ago, certainly, because we’re more prepared, and deeper, and healthier.”

Thornton, the one Bulldog who was on both the ’11 and ’15 teams, echoed the sentiment.

“Then, we knew there were gonna be some tough times with Travis and Trey leaving early for the NBA. This time we’re gonna be able to return most of our team next year,” Thornton said. “They’ve been able to have a little consistency the last two years, winning 20 games. That’ll be good for this program, and I’m really looking forward to seeing the progress they’ll be able to continue to make.”

Last time, Georgia had a potential star coming in but not a whole lot else.  This time, a lot of scoring is returning, and those departing have been grooming their replacements:

Yante Maten steps into one starting spot. As a freshman he led the team in shot blocks, and his rebounding and scoring improved as the season went on.

“I’m really prepared,” Maten said. “I feel like Nemi and Marcus, they’ve taught me so many things. (Like if) something bad happens, don’t look sad or mad or anything, just keep encouraging the team, so we can keep rolling. It’s gonna be a big deal.”

Continuity is key, and the Bulldogs finally have some of that.  Success isn't guaranteed, but if I tell you I think we'll be right back in the dance next season (with a higher seed), can you really look at me like I'm crazy?

[Ledger-Enquirer]

Two tweets

Everything I had, I gave. Thank you for everything #DawgNation what a ride.
— Marcus J. Thornton (@MarcusThornton2) March 20, 2015

This team gave us a great effort this season. Thank u from all of us 4 the great support. A pic our Sr's post game: pic.twitter.com/x08FbiW0o7
— Mark Fox (@coachmarkfox) March 20, 2015

Michigan State: post mortem

That was a bad match-up against a better team, and in the end, Georgia was right there.

Was it a great performance?  Not really.  Too many missed layups.  Long stretches of lethargic basketball.  It was going to take a great game to beat the Spartans, but the Bulldogs were merely ok.

Yet Georgia never quit - not in this game and not all year.  I would give anything to see this team play again on Sunday, and I'm disappointed that won't happen, but I'm proud of those guys.  As aggravating as they were to watch at times, this was one of my favorite Bulldog teams to root for in at least the last decade.

The game:

• Black jerseys?  Come on.  One of the few advantages to being the lower seed is that you get to wear the road unis.  Nothing looks quite as sharp as the road reds.  Wear them!
• To my eyes, Michigan State looks more like a 5 seed.  Here's a list of teams seeded 7 or higher that I would have rather seen in the first round:  West Virginia, Butler, Wichita State, VCU, Iowa, SMU, and Providence.  Don't be surprised to see them give Virginia a good game on Sunday.
• Using ESPN's BPI, Michigan State was a 5 seed, and Georgia was an 8.  Neither of those sound that far off.  It is what it is, though, and you have to play the game you're handed.  Ole Miss dropping out of the top 50 probably dropped Georgia at least one line and landed them a date with the Spartans.
• Georgia certainly came to play.  The back cut by Kenny Gaines that created a layup and then the down screen that Gaines used to pop an open three were just beautiful.
• Georgia's board work was impressive, too.  That's a Michigan State team that rebounds really well, and the Bulldogs generally neutralized them.  Marcus Thornton was an absolute beast on the glass.
• One of the biggest differences in the game was Michigan State's ability to finish through contact.  How many and-1 opportunities did they have?  It felt like 50.  Charles Mann still drives looking for fouls.  The Spartans drive to score.
• Lots of missed layups again.  That's a bad trend that started in the Arkansas game and, hopefully, doesn't carry over to next season.
• The (bad, but understandable) second foul call on Gaines really changed the first half.  Even gimpy, he was Georgia's best asset early.  Not only was it a 3-point play, but it sent Kenny to the bench.  The drop-off from Gaines down to Kenny Paul Geno or Taylor Echols is a precipitous one, and Georgia struggled to get open looks for the rest of the half.
• Thornton finished his career with a double-double, including 8/8 from the free throw line.  He was feisty all day.  He clearly wasn't ready to go home.
• Djurisic was quieter, but did pull down 12 rebounds.  He was also (as usual) a steadying influence on the floor.
• I continue to believe the future is bright with Yante Maten.  He was very quiet in his 13 minutes, but the pieces are clearly there.  An offseason in the weight room and another fall spent banging on Jonas Hayes in the paint will do him a lot of good.  His ceiling is high.
• J.J. Frazier was never quite the same after he hurt his wrist and broke the bone in his face.  Understandable.  I'm already excited to have him back whole next season.
• Charles Mann had a very Charles Mann game, didn't he?  A lot of good, a smattering of bad.  How hard he works in the offseason will go a long way to determining how and when next season ends.
• I have to say it one more time:  these guys never quit.  A lesser team would have packed it in down 12 with a minute and a half left.  Instead, there was Georgia, down 3 with :20 to go.  Good fight.

Tom Izzo and his Michigan State Spartans knocked our Bulldogs out of the tournament.  It stinks, but it's nothing to hang your head over.  Enjoy the rest of the tournament.  Come Monday, we'll start talking about what's next.  It's never too early to start thinking about next season.  College basketball is all about next season.

Game card: Michigan State

Opponent:  Michigan State
Record:  23-11
Best player:  Travis Trice
Line:  Michigan State -5

Why Georgia will win:  Almost a full week off should have the Bulldogs as close to healthy as they've been since conference play began.  Marcus Thornton and Nemi Djurisic know this could be the last game of their careers, so they will come out motivated and control the paint.  Kenny Gaines should be able to take away either Trice or Valentine.

Why Georgia will lose:  Georgia may be wide-eyed, but Michigan State won't just be happy to be here.  Tom Izzo doesn't care about making the tournament - he wants to win.  A steadily improving Spartans team shouldn't have much difficulty on the big stage against a feisty but over-matched Georgia team.  If the 3's start falling for Trice and Valentine, look out.

What I think will happen:  My head says to pick Michigan State, but it's tournament time, and the tournament is all about heart, isn't it?  Georgia finds a way, 67-65.

Let's do this

Blogging the tournament

Some real bloggers exchanged questions and answers about Georgia and Michigan state yesterday, and you should most certainly check it out.

Mr. Sanchez answered some questions over at The Only Colors blog, and they responded in kind.  Both are excellent reads, but I'd like to point you to one particular response from Joe Tuohey:

JT: Ball screens will probably be Georgia's best bet for several reasons. First, MSU gets called for a lot of fouls, though the main culprits are bigs Matt Costello and Gavin Schilling. But there's a sharp drop off on the wing after Trice and Valentine, and if those guys rack up fouls then MSU's offense could suffer. Second, MSU's defensive rotations have been a little late recently, and a big with the ability to shoot from deep could have a big day.

So, yes, slashing guards are an issue. The way this game is officiated will have a major impact

The more I read about this game, the more convinced I am that the officiating is going to play a huge role.  I don't even like saying that, because I would always prefer the game be decided by the players.  But one of Georgia's largest advantages would seem to be getting to the free throw line - and simultaneously getting the Spartans' best players in foul trouble.

Can Georgia get to the line the way they have all season?  And can they hit the free throws when they're there?  That, as much as anything, may dictate whether or not we're tipping again on Sunday.

[www.dawgsports.com]
[www.theonlycolors.com]

2015 NCAA Tournament: first thoughts

When Georgia popped up in that #10 slot during the selection show, my reaction went something like this:

• Seconds 1-3:  relief.  I wasn't actually worried that Georgia would be excluded, but man was it nice seeing our logo on Sunday night.
• Seconds 4-10:  dread.  Wait, how is Michigan State a #7 seed?  Didn't they just take Wisconsin to overtime in the Big 10 final?  And if we get past them, we get Virginia?  Weren't they all but locked in as a #1 seed a week ago?
• Seconds 11-this morning:  resignation.  I'm just happy we made it.  Maybe it's something to build on, and we can win a game or two as a #5 or #6 seed next year.

The good news is this:  optimism is starting to creep in.  Hope.  That's what college basketball is all about, right?

I am not much of an X's and O's guys, but I have noticed that Georgia is not a trendy upset pick.  That's just the way I like it.  Michigan State has been playing some really good basketball in March, and getting a win will be tough.

It's not a terrible matchup, though.  They defend and rebound really well.  Most of their scoring is on the wings.  They have a couple dead-eye 3-point shooters.  If a healthy Kenny Gaines shows up to take away Denzel Valentine and Marcus Thornton and Nemi Djurisic can live in the paint, Georgia has more than a puncher's chance.

Am I picking Georgia in my bracket?  Of course!  Would I lay money on them?  Of course not!

But it's March 17th, and instead of talking about the NIT, or talking about next season, we're talking about March Madness.  I'm going to embrace that for at least another day.

Come 12:40 Friday afternoon?  Hey, anything can happen.

In non-tournament news...

Mark Fox will get at least one more crack at Brian Gregory.  Georgia Tech will bring him back as head coach in 2015-16.

They insist it's not about finances, but none of their sports teams draw well, and they're still paying Paul Hewitt $900,000/year through 2019, so forgive me if I don't buy it.

It's been a while since Georgia thumped Georgia Tech on the recruiting trail, but consider this comment from Tech's AD:

"I jumped both sides of the fence on this," Bobinski said in a meeting with a small group of reporters in his campus office. "I'd be lying if I said otherwise. It was not an easy decision."

If that doesn't get mentioned in some living rooms, then folks aren't doing their jobs.

[ESPN]

Gut reaction

Initial in-depth analysis of Georgia's corner of the bracket:

Arkansas: post mortem

I admit I wasn't able to focus on the game yesterday, so this will be half-hearted.  That's appropriate, because so was Georgia's effort in the game.

Ok, that may not be fair.  I don't think the effort was lacking.  I do think the injuries finally got to the team - mentally.  It's hard to see teammate after teammate limp off the court, and it felt to me like things changed when Juwan Parked hobbled off with his sprained ankle.  That felt like the straw that broke the camel's back.

Fortunately, Georgia had very little to gain by winning yesterday (aside from perhaps a tiny seed bump), so the loss is hardly devastating.  I hope the whole team is in for a spectacular week of rest and healing:

• Defensively, Georgia did what they needed to do.  Holding Portis to a single field goal is no small task.
• Unfortunately, the Bulldogs missed about 500 (unofficially) layups.  Finish in the lane just a few more times and that's a game.
• Kudos to Taylor Echols.  If those were the last minutes of his career, that was a strong finish.
• The box score shows a pretty even game.  Free throws were a problem again, but the lack of second (and third and fourth) chance points really did Georgia in.
• Yante Maten was a little quieter, but that block on Bobby Portis was great.  The future is bright.
• Good decision by Fox to sit Gaines.  If Georgia is lucky enough to get a Friday tip, that'll be 5 or 6 full days of rest (depending on how much he participates in practice).  If the Bulldogs are going to win a game in the tournament, they're probably not going to do so without Kenny at least close to full strength.

So yeah, sorry, I just don't have much left to say.  I'm excited to find out who the Bulldogs are going to draw in the first round.  Once that happens, we'll have plenty to talk about.

Game card: Arkansas

Opponent:  Arkansas
Record:  25-7 (14-5)
Best player:  Bobby Portis
Line:  Not available as of this writing

Why Georgia will win:  Kenny Gaines, Charles Mann, Juwan Parker...Georgia is the walking wounded right now.  But you know who's healthy?  Marcus Thornton and Yante Maten.  Bobby Portis is Arkansas' best player, and if Thornton and Maten can contain him, the Bulldogs have a punchers chance.

Why Georgia will lose:  Arkansas is really good, and beating them is a challenge healthy.  Bobby Portis is ready for the NBA and Michael Qualls can beat you several different ways.  The Razorbacks' pace is designed to wear you down, and Georgia just doesn't have the horses in the barn.

What I think will happen:  This one probably won't be pretty.  Arkansas rolls 82-64.

South Carolina: post mortem

I think Georgia should have lost that game.

I don't mean they deserved to lose, because they didn't.  That was a gritty performance.  What I mean is, I think it would have served Georgia well if they had lost that game.

Kenny Gaines should not play against Arkansas.  If there's any doubt about Charles Mann, he shouldn't either.  Same with Juwan Parker.  If that means Georgia loses by 30 to Arkansas, so be it.  It's way more important to have as healthy a team as possible for the (true) opening round of the NCAA Tournament than to grind out a win just for the right to lose to Kentucky on Sunday:

• We've seen that one before, haven't we?  Georgia gets a lead, lets it slip away, then pulls it out when their backs are to the wall.  Be honest.  When it was tied, and Gaines and Mann were limping around on the sideline, did you give the Bulldogs a chance?  I didn't.
• Hello, Yante Maten.  He's starting to come into his own a bit.  That little hook shot is effective, and he's knocking down free throws.  He also seems to be good for one catch and dunk per game.  Thornton is probably the best player on the team, but the center position seems to be in good hands.
• Oh, and that blocked dunk?  Pretty.
• Charles Mann and Marcus Thornton:  75% from the free throw line.  Georgia as a team:  79.3%.
• Only 7 turnovers, too.  Basketball is not mysterious.  Hold onto the ball, get good shots, and you'll win more than you lose.
• Has there ever been quicker justice than when Georgia got a steal and layup immediately following the referees blown call on the out of bounds play?  I'm biased, sure, but I can't figure out what they saw.  In fact, the bald ref clearly mouthed, "I didn't see 42 touch it."  He was obviously overruled.  Get those guys a big screen TV, will ya?
• J.J. continues to be Mr. Big Shot.
• Very gutsy performance by Kenny Gaines.  He was maybe 70%.  I give him major respect for playing tonight.  I know he'll want to go tomorrow night, too.  That's why it's on Fox to shut him down.
• Duane Notice is really good.  If not for his hot shooting in the second half Georgia runs away with that game.  I just clicked on his profile hoping he was a senior.  He's not.  We'll be seeing him for two more years.
• Carrera, on the other hand, is just an energetic thug.  I respect that he plays hard, but he needs to dial it in or he's going to hurt someone.  It was a little scary watching him in the huddle after that second foul.  Did the refs miss a call?  Yes.  They also gave it back to him a couple possessions later with a make-up call against Djurisic.  That's when he just needs to let it go.
• Frank Martin is a scary man.  That is all.

I don't give Georgia much of a chance against Arkansas, and that's ok.  They have nothing left to prove to the committee.  Will I be cheering for a win?  Of course.  But if Georgia loses, let's hope for lots of healing, rest, and a Friday tip.

Posting will be thin this weekend due to circumstances beyond my control.  I will try to get game cards and post mortems up as necessary, but no guarantees.

Enjoy the games.

“We’re still a hungry team.”

Much is being made of Georgia's desire headed into the SEC Tournament.  For the first time in a long time, the Bulldogs aren't trying to play their way into the NCAA Tournament.  That may not be a good thing, because as we've seen this year, when Georgia doesn't feel like their backs are to the wall, they often don't respond.

As usual, though, the players are saying all the right things:

“We’re still a hungry team,” junior guard Charles Mann said. “We’re humble with the stuff we have accomplished, but we’re real hungry to continue to accomplish. There’s more to accomplish, and we’re going to keep on striving and try to get that.”

It's clear Fox is doing everything he can to keep their focus on Nashville and not on the dance.

Will it work?  We'll likely find out tonight sometime around 9:30.

Besides, if you really want something to worry about, why not try this on for size:

...in the past three seasons the Bulldogs are 1-8 in neutral site games.

Oy.

[Ledger-Enquirer]

Game card: South Carolina

Opponent: South Carolina
Record:  17-15 (8-12)
Best player:  Duane Notice
Line:  Georgia -2.5

Why Georgia will win:  Because they're due?  In Columbia, the Gamecocks destroyed a Bulldogs team playing without Marcus Thornton.  In Athens, South Carolina used a red-hot first half to edge a Georgia team playing without J.J. Frazier.  This time, a healthy(-ish) Georgia team gets a South Carolina team playing their third game in three days.  If the Dawgs were ever going to win one, this would be the one to win.

Why Georgia will lose:  South Carolina certainly won't lack for confidence, and Georgia still isn't all that healthy.  Not only have the Gamecocks beaten Georgia twice this year, but they've won two straight games in the SEC Tournament, including last nights thriller which they first should have won, then deserved to lose, then miraculously won.  In fact, South Carolina's only loss in the last 5 was a competitive loss to Arkansas.  They're dangerous.

What I think will happen:  I think Georgia wins.  I think.  67-58.  Maybe

Who's next?

So who are you rooting for tonight?

Me?  I'm pulling for South Carolina because that's the team that gives Georgia the best chance to advance to the semifinals.

I know the Gamecocks beat us twice, but they're not a better team than Ole Miss.  I also don't think a loss to South Carolina does much harm.  Georgia is not on the bubble, so the worst it would do is push Georgia to a 10 seed.

Can Georgia win the SEC tournament?  Of course not.  Kentucky is going to win.  Period.  The Bulldogs can reach the finals, though, and I'll be rooting for whatever gives them the easiest path.

"This may be one of the best things the NABC has ever done."

The NBA, NCAA, and National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) have an idea, and it's a pretty good one.  The goal is to keep kids who aren't ready for the NBA in school where they can further hone their skills.  The idea, of course, is self-serving in that the NBA gets more seasoned players and the NCAA retains talent, but the fact that it will ultimately benefit the student athlete can't be ignored.

There are two main components:

The proposal, the result of a series of meetings first held at the 2014 Final Four, would move the withdrawal date for American college players to late May, nearly five weeks later than the current late-April date.

...

If the proposal is accepted, underclassmen would be able to participate in a new invitation-only combine in mid-May that would enable NBA teams to evaluate players and then offer feedback on their draft prospects. The pool would include all draft-eligible players -- seniors, underclassmen and international players. But Dan Gavitt, NCAA vice president of the men's basketball championship, said the finite number wouldn't change if a player withdrew. The goal would be to increase the current NBA draft combine number by 20 to 30 percent (currently 65 to 70 players attend the draft camp in Chicago annually).

Setting aside the fact that this comes a couple years too late for Georgia (*ahem* Travis Leslie and Trey Thompkins), this actually makes a lot of sense!

One of the biggest problems these kids face is that they have all the wrong people dispensing advice ("Joe Blow at the barber shop," according to John Thompson III).  Now, not only do you have more time to make a decision, you also get constructive feedback from the very teams that hold your future in their hands.

Didn't get invited to the combine?  You have virtually no chance of being drafted.  Did get invited?  You still may not get drafted, but you'll hear it straight from the horse's mouth.

Is it a perfect system?  No.  There are spring signing implications, for sure.  It's also unrealistic to think you can stop every kid from leaving.  There will be kids who don't get invited to the combine, but who still choose to enter the draft.

I'm also still waiting for the horrible, no good, very bad one-and-done rule to go away, at which point select high school seniors should be invited to the combine as well.

Until then, though, this represents a good start.  It makes a lot of sense and it benefits the athletes - but let's hope it passes anyway.

[ESPN]

Marcus Thornton takes home some hardware

Marcus Thornton is All-SEC second team and all-defensive-team.  Well deserved, son.

John Calipari is coach of the year, because it takes some serious coaching chops to win consistently when you have 5X the talent of the opposing team on any given night.  He had to deal with an injury, too.  Great job, Cal.

[SEC]

The situation

The Numbers

CBSSports RPI:  41

ESPN BPI:  31

CBS Bracketology:  10 seed

ESPN Bracketology:   9 seed

 
The Resume

Good Wins:  Seton Hall, @Kansas State, @Vanderbilt, Florida, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, @Texas A&M, @Alabama, @Ole Miss

Bad Losses:  @Georgia Tech, Auburn

The Schedule

Potential Top 50 Wins:  None

Potential Bad Losses:  None

What It All Means

You'll notice I'm considering the season over from a scheduling perspective.  Would another win over Ole Miss and a subsequent win over Arkansas help Georgia?  Of course, but perhaps not as much as you think.  My understanding is that conference tournament play isn't heavily weighted.

The good news, then, is that Georgia doesn't need help.  They're in.  It would be a pretty historic snub if they didn't make the field.  All that's left now is seeding.

A few things hurt the Bulldogs this week.  First, Ole Miss dropped out of the RPI top 50, depriving Georgia of two top 50 wins and a top 50 road win.  Second, Chattanooga and Tennessee dropped out of the top 100.

Jerry Palm has Georgia slotted as a 10 seed, which seems low to me.  Lunardi has them as a 9 seed.  I'm biased, but I think Georgia has probably earned an 8 seed, especially considering the work they've done in true road games.  However, 9's have a slight winning percentage over 8's, so hey, I'll take it.

In the end, it's all just noise.  Georgia is dancing, and it feels pretty great.

Auburn: post mortem

How much did that game mean to Georgia?  Probably not much from an NCAA Tournament standpoint.  But to a delicate fanbase and a team facing yet another injury, that win was just what the doctor ordered.

Now here we sit, with 20 wins for the second straight season, a double-bye for a second straight season, and a feeling that the season, while fun, isn't quite over yet.  These are strange times indeed:

• How much is Georgia going to miss Nemi Djurisic next year?  With almost all of their scoring injured or in foul trouble, he carried the Bulldogs on his back in the first half.  It's at least the second time this year that Georgia led at the half even though it felt like they were behind by 10.
• Not only did Georgia dominate the glass, they also held Cinmeon Bowers to a mere 5 rebounds.  His production has certainly slowed down the last few weeks, but that's the kind of board work that's going to be required from here on out to survive and advance.
• 19/21 from the free throw line.  9/9 for Charles Mann.  That's going to win some basketball games.
• Seriously, Charles Mann was fantastic.  Much has been said about his selflessness this season, and it's all true, but Georgia needed him on offense Saturday and he delivered.  Auburn really had no answer for him in the paint.
• Marcus Thornton is shooting over 80% from the free throw line over the last 10 games in which he has played.
• Great to see Juwan Parker out there playing meaningful minutes.  There is obviously rust, but it's easy to see how good he can be if he gets another full summer under his belt and returns to health.  Just a little more lift on that jumper is going to make his a legitimate scoring threat.
• More than a few times lately, Taylor Echols has committed some bad turnovers (the Tennessee game comes to mind).  He needs to clean that up come tournament time.
• How good is KT Harrell?  It looked like he was going to will the Tigers to a win, and I was prepared to tip my cap to him for doing so.  I don't know what Auburn's record would look like without him, but it wouldn't be pretty.
• I have to applaud the Auburn fans.  They put butts in the seats to watch a bad team lose a lot of games.  That's what an exciting coaching hire does for you.  If there's little to no improvement next year?  That shine will start coming off in a hurry.

So Georgia has at least two games left.  If you had asked me how I'd feel in this situation before the season, I would have said satisfied.  But now here we are, and I want more.  This team is capable of playing on Sunday in the SEC Tournament and Saturday/Sunday in the NCAA Tournament.  This should be fun.

Game card: Auburn

Opponent:  Auburn
Record:  12-18 (4-13) 
Best player:  KT Harrell
Line:  Georgia -6

Why Georgia will win:  Georgia is better than Auburn, and they still have something to play for.  While the Tigers are playing out the stretch, the Bulldogs are fighting for a tournament berth.  Georgia may not have beaten Kentucky, but they should have seized some confidence and momentum from the game.  If so, they'll win easily.

Why Georgia will lose:  Auburn's last win was...at Georgia.  Kenny Gaines almost certainly won't play in this game, either, and that means KT Harrell will probably get loose.  He's a guy you just can't afford to leave open.  Georgia is probably in the tournament no matter what, so they may not be mentally checked into this one.

What I think will happen:  With or without Gaines, Georgia should win this game.  Auburn has been a house of horrors, though.  Tigers win again, 68-65.

Make it stop

The severity isn't yet clear, but Kenny Gaines hurt his foot in practice.  This continues a pretty staggering run of injuries for the Georgia basketball team.

In this case, the offense isn't the primary concern.  As Georgia heads into Auburn to face lights-out shooter KT Harrell, Gaines' defense will be sorely missed if he can't go.

Fox meets the media at 2, so we'll likely find out more then.

Update:

It's not that bad.  Day-to-day with an ankle injury.  If he's iffy on Saturday, I'd be tempted to hold him out if I'm Mark Fox.  Very few (Joe Lunardi included) believe it's a game Georgia has to win, so protecting Gaines come tournament time may be more important.  We'll see what happens.

[Ledger-Enquirer]

For the seed-heads

Tyler does the dirty work and lays out some SEC tournament scenarios for us.

Me?  I'm having a hard time getting too worked up over our seeding.  Why?  Outside of Kentucky, name one team in the SEC that Georgia can't beat in a neutral site game.  Ok, now name the one team they can't lose to.

See what I mean?

Beat Auburn.

[Georgia Sports Blog]

Kentucky: post mortem

That was the greatest sporting event I have ever been a part of.*

Ok, ok.  Is it really?  I don't know.  It's worth admitting that I don't attend a ton of live sporting events:  the older I get, the more comfortable the couch becomes.  However, this one had all the ingredients:

1. Unbeaten juggernaut.  Is Kentucky the best college basketball team ever?  No.  Are they one of the greatest collections of individual talents ever seen on a single bench?  Yes.
2. National primetime audience.  Athens, Georgia was the center of the sporting world on Tuesday night.  Best slot.  Best network.  Best crew.
3. Electric arena.  It's going to be hard not to blather on about just how great the atmosphere in Stegeman really was.  I got goosebumps over and over all night long.  It was amazing to be a part of that.
4. Worthy opponent.  For one night at least, our Bulldogs went toe-to-toe with a team that should never be beaten.  A team that beat Kansas by 32, UNC by 15, UCLA by 39, Arkansas by 17, Louisville by 8, etc, etc.
5. Star power.  Charles Barkley and Ashley Judd?  Sure.  But when Bill Belichick makes time for a college basketball game, you know it's a good one.

So maybe it's just the afterglow, I don't know, but it may be a long time before I have that much fun in Stegeman again - and Georgia didn't even win:

•  I'm normally not big on the "color-out" concept, but the blackout was perfect.  On a Saturday at noon it might have looked silly, but Tuesday night at 9 it was positively menacing.
• The lightning fast 7-point run put on by Andrew Harrison (aided by that terrible flagrant call) was a huge moment in the game.  It could have been the beginning of the end.  When Georgia finished the half with 5 straight points to tie it up, you just knew they were in it to win it.
• What really blew me away was the work Georgia was able to do in the paint.  The Bulldogs shot 65.8% inside the 3-point line!  On the season, Kentucky's opponents (including Georgia both times) are averaging just a hair under 38% in that area.
• Georgia also did a decent job limiting turnovers.  Unfortunately, Kentucky was better.  They didn't turn the ball over until the second half which is...unheard of.
• Kentucky trotted out seven 5* recruits and two 4* recruits last night.  Georgia has zero of both.  It's fair to criticize Fox's recruiting, but it's harder and harder to fault him as a gameday coach.  Georgia did pretty much exactly what they wanted to do against the best defensive team in the nation.  They got a dunk on a beautiful out of bounds play.  They contested almost every shot.  If Fox can continue to upgrade the talent in Athens, we could see more games like this in the future.
• During the game, I told my wife that playing Kentucky was like trying to hold back a horde of zombies (we are fans of The Walking Dead).  You fight, and fight, and fight, but eventually they just overwhelm you.  That's what happened.  Much has been made of Georgia's late game performance:  they were tired, they were wide-eyed, they played tight.  All of those things are true.  What ultimately ended that game, though, was Karl-Anthony Towns.
• There is a reason Towns will be a millionaire a year from now and you and I will still be workaday guys and gals.  Down the stretch, Georgia simply couldn't guard him, and that's no slam against Thornton or Maten.  There probably isn't a player in college basketball who can guard Towns when he gets going.  When you trot in talent the way Calipari does, eventually you're going to find someone who is hot.
• What a way for our seniors to go out.  Of course I wish it had been a win, but Thornton and Djurisic both deserved a full Stegeman in their last home game, and they both delivered on the court.  I'm glad Kentucky fans got to see what a senior night celebration looks like, too.  They don't get much of that in Lexington.
• Speaking of Kentucky fans, I'm endlessly bemused by the pretentiousness of the "Big Blue Nation."  They love to brag about the size of the fanbase and how well they travel.  To that I say, being a Kentucky basketball fan is about the easiest thing in the world.  I am 33 years old, and in my entire life, Kentucky has missed the postseason 3 times - and 2 of those were due to postseason bans.  Since 1930, when Adolph Rupp arrived, Kentucky has finished under .500 one time.  So continue congratulating yourselves and hope you never have to deal with a little adversity.  If you do, you know what you'll be?  Every other fanbase in America.
• With that said, every UK fan I ran into was delightful and gracious.  Even the gentleman who was berated for standing moments after the tipoff by the crotchety old Dawg in front of me (not a good look, sir).

There's so much more to talk about.  The valiant effort on the boards.  Gaines' dunk.  The middle-aged white guy next to me jumping up and down during a timeout singing "All the Way Turnt Up."

It's time to move on, though.  I'm sure that's been the message from Fox.  You know what a close loss to one of the best college basketball teams of all time gets you?  Nothing.  There are no moral victories, and a loss to Auburn on Saturday will effectively stamp out any goodwill garnered on Tuesday night.

If Georgia plays with the fire and intensity they showed against Kentucky, they'll be playing a week from Sunday.  If they don't, we may yet see them back in Stegeman - as a host in the NIT.

*Maybe.

Proud

Post mortem will be late - maybe even Thursday.  I just got home, and I'm emotionally and physically drained.  I won't be back at the computer until at least tomorrow night.

For now, let's just say I'm proud of my team.  The stage got a little too big there at the end, but if we play like that, this season is far from over.

Go Dawgs.

How to beat Kentucky

You can find any number of posts and articles on the web about how to beat Kentucky.

The Wildcats are probably the safest bet to run the table and win the NCAA Championship in at least 20 years, so the reality is this:  if Kentucky plays well, Georgia cannot beat them.

This is what happens when someone abuses a very bad rule and hoards the best talent year after year.  Eventually they end up with a collection of players that is head and shoulders above the rest of the competition, and any semblance of competitive balance goes out the window.

With that said, Kentucky is still a team of 18, 19, and 20-year olds, and sometimes young men of that age have an off night.  If that happens tonight, here's how Georgia can win:

1. Win the first eight minutes.  In their last five games, Tennessee is the only team that has managed to hang with Kentucky in the first half.  The other four games have started like this:  18-3, 30-4, 20-10, and 20-10.  If beating Kentucky is hard, coming back from double-digits is nearly impossible.  If you come out tight, you're dead.
2. Shoot the ball.  As in, limit your pump fakes.  Against almost every team in the country, a pump fake is a good thing.  Against Kentucky, it's a death trap.  Their defense is suffocating, so if you find yourself with an open look, you must take it.  Any hesitation, and you've just allowed the defense to recover.
3. Hit a lot of 3's.  It will probably take something like 12-14 3-point baskets for Georgia to win the game.  It's great that Marcus Thornton is back, but you don't beat Kentucky inside.  They have three big men who should be making NBA money right now.  Guys like Gaines, Djurisic, and Frazier are going to have to shoot lights out to give Georgia a chance.
4. Win the rebounding battle.  This is always important, but it's extra important against the Wildcats.  They feast on the offensive glass.  Georgia did a good job of this in Rupp Arena.  It would behoove them to do it again tonight.
5. Limit turnovers.  Georgia turned the ball over 16 times in the first meeting.  That's way too many.  That led to the Bulldogs taking nine less shots than Kentucky.  You don't beat good teams by shooting less than them.

On a normal night, 2 or 3 of those things might get you a win.  Tonight, it will take 4 or 5 - unless, of course, Kentucky plays well, in which case it's on to Auburn.

The Situation

The Numbers

CBSSports RPI:  35

ESPN BPI:  27

CBS Bracketology:  9 seed

ESPN Bracketology:   8 seed

 
The Resume

Good Wins:  @Chattanooga, Seton Hall, @Kansas State, Florida, Ole Miss, @Texas A&M, @Alabama, @Ole Miss

Bad Losses:  @Georgia Tech, Auburn, South Carolina

The Schedule

Potential Top 50 Wins:  Kentucky

Potential Bad Losses:  @Auburn

What It All Means

You probably didn't notice, but Chattanooga sneaked into the RPI top 100 this week.  Georgia's record vs. the top 50 and top 100 is 3-4 and 10-7, respectively.  That's pretty good!  Jerry Palm has them in the tournament and off the bubble, too.  That's also good!

The win over Missouri hurt Georgia's RPI (that's how bad they are), but not nearly as much as a loss would have.  At this point, it's hard to see Georgia being excluded from the tournament, even if they lose three in a row.  That doesn't mean it couldn't happen, of course.  Things like conference tournament upsets can shrink the bubble in a hurry.  That's why it would really behoove Georgia to win at least one more game.

If that win comes tonight, we can start talking about seeding.  It's conceivable that Georgia could fight all the way up to a 6 seed if they beat Kentucky and Auburn and won a game in the SEC Tournament.  That's not likely to happen.

It's far more likely that Georgia beats either Auburn or their first SEC Tournament opponent and enters the tournament as an 8 or 9 seed.  That is, of course, less than ideal if you're interested in advancing to the Sweet 16, but the way things have gone for this program and this team, I'll take it.

 

Game card: Kentucky

Opponent: Kentucky
Record:  29-0 (16-0)
Best player:  Take your pick.  Seriously, it changes almost every night.
Line:  Kentucky -10.5

Why Georgia will win:  If anyone is going to beat Kentucky before tournament time, it may just be Georgia.  This is Kentucky's last true road game, and perhaps they'll be looking ahead to their real season, which starts in about two weeks.  Georgia is approaching healthy for the first time in a long time, and if a couple of the shooters can get going, they play good enough defense to keep it close.

Why Georgia will lose:  Kentucky is, by far, the best team in the country.  They play stifling defense, they have multiple NBA big men, and their overall talent is simply overwhelming.  It is, quite frankly, not fair, and there's no reason to pick against them in any game, let alone this one.  The only reason Georgia kept it close is because Kentucky's shooters were a little off in Rupp.  Don't expect a repeat performance.

What I think will happen:  I don't think Georgia will get embarrassed.  I also don't think they'll win.  Kentucky wins 72-58.

“Looking back on it, I don’t think Kentucky played very well."

Georgia and Kentucky don't tip it off on the court until tomorrow night, but the psychological warfare has already begun.

In one corner, you have Calipari, who wants his guys to believer Georgia is a Final Four team that could have won at Rupp if only they'd had their best player:

"I've been doing this for 20-some years. And Mark Fox, every game we've played has been one of those games where he's tried things, done things," Calipari said. "He may come out and play zone. He may come out and play man. They may sag. You don't know what he's going to do. He looked at the tape and he's gonna try to exploit us defensively.

"He is one of those coaches that I know when we walk in we better be ready. Our team better be ready. Our staff better be ready. His team will be ready. he's one of the toughest ones to go against that I've been (against) in 20-some years. So that game (at Rupp) doesn't really matter. He didn't have his best player. This is a totally different game."

In the other, you have Fox, who'd like to convince his players that the game in Lexington wasn't actually that close:

“Looking back on it, I don’t think Kentucky played very well. They didn’t have (Trey) Lyles,” said Georgia's Mark Fox, who then pointed out that Kentucky led the entire game, often in double digits. “We got it close, but that game wasn’t close.”

If you're Mark Fox you're trying to find the sweet spot where your kids believe they have a chance but also know it's going to take a fantastic performance to spring the upset.  If you're Calipari, you're just trying to keep your kids motivated to play what is ultimately a meaningless game on the road a mere two weeks before your real season begins.

[Ledger-Enquirer]

Missouri: post mortem

Well that was refreshing.  Missouri is a bad team, and Georgia did exactly what good teams are supposed to do when they get bad teams at home.  There isn't much to say about this one, and that's a compliment to our Bulldogs:

• I admit I had a small moment of consternation when Namon Wright hit his second early 3-pointer.  He was coming off a game in which he hit 6/8, so I had my eye on him.  That I was ever worried says more about Georgia's season than about the game itself.  It was never in doubt.
• If Georgia can bottle some of the rebounding they did in this game for Tuesday night, that would be nice.  A 17 rebound edge - with 19 offensive rebounds to boot - is going to win you a lot of games.
• You may have heard that Nemi Djurisic's parents were seeing him play in Athens for the first time.  He played like it, too.  They'll be back Tuesday night as well for senior night.
• J.J. Frazier is looking pretty healthy, which is great to see.  His bounce pass to Cam Forte for the dunk was pretty.
• And Forte?  Oh, just 10 more points and 6 more rebounds without a single turnover.  Nothing he does on the floor is pretty, but it always seems to look good in the box score.
• Great ovation from the crowd when Juwan Parker got in the game.  He looked positively giddy.  I loved the goofy smile after he went baseline and tried to dunk.  Glad he hit one of the free throws too.  I don't know what, if anything, he can give us, but it certainly can't hurt to have him as an option heading into the tournament(s).
• Kenny Gaines 0/4 on free throws?  I bet he's beating himself up over that one.
• Was it a little disconcerting to see Georgia lose interest about halfway through the second half?  Absolutely.  But it was a lot better than seeing them start the game disinterested, that's for sure.  I loved the 5 man substitution by Fox, too.  I think he got his point across.
• You think Iduwe was excited to play?  His hook shot had to have missed by 6 feet.
• 18 assists on 26 made field goals.  That's a number I can get excited about.
• As for Missouri, well, there's just not much talent there right now, though a few of the younger players (Wright and Gant) are nice pieces.  Will Kim Anderson get it turned around?  I have no idea, but the team I saw yesterday was not close.
• Really great crowd.  I was shocked.  Noon game on a Saturday after two bad home losses?  I expected 6,000.  Instead, the announced crowd was something like 9,300.  Winning solves a lot of problems.

One more home game, and it's a doozy.  I hope you'll be there to support Thornton and Djurisic.  They both deserve it.  Can Georgia spring the upset?  Probably not.  But I like my team, and I like their fight, and I'll be there to watch them try.