NIT: post mortem

Due to car troubles, I was unable to attend the Belmont game.  That was disappointing as I knew it would almost certainly be the last chance to see Kenny Gaines and Charles Mann in the Steg.  As it turns out, it was also a chance to see Yante Maten hulk smash a truly helpless opponent.  I suspect we'll see more of that over the next two years:

• These two games were really about Yante Maten, weren't they?  Against Belmont, a team with no chance of guarding Maten, he had his way all evening.  He showed the full repertoire, and the Bruins had no answer.  Against St. Mary's, a team which also had no chance of guarding him, nothing would fall, and it was the difference in the game.  That's not to lay the loss entirely on his shoulders - he didn't get much help - but if Maten has even a normal night, Georgia is probably in the quarterfinals.
• Much more will be written about Charles Mann and Kenny Gaines, but they can hold their heads up high as they ride off into the sunset.  Three postseasons is nothing to be ashamed of, and while I know they both wish it was one NIT and two NCAAs, they've helped change the culture a bit in Athens.  The fact that many of us are left feeling unsatisfied by this season is, in many ways, attributable to the work they've put in.
• Teams like Belmont and St. Mary's drive me insane, and it's not entirely their fault.  St. Mary's, in particular, moved the ball beautifully, and thanks to some poor defense, ended up with quite a few layups, but both of those teams are going to live and die by the 3-point shot.  Threes are the great equalizer, and they are often at the root of Cinderella success in March (*ahem*MTSU*ahem*), but I have long been in favor of moving the 3-point line back even farther.  I suppose I'm old-fashioned, but watching a team jack up 30 3-pointers isn't my idea of a good time.  However, until the line moves, teams like Belmont and St. Mary's can, will, and should continue firing away.
• I don't want to make excuses for Mark Fox (he's pretty good at that himself), but I suspect jet lag played into the result Sunday night.  I have a hunch we won't see many more 6-22 nights out of Maten.
• Here's hoping all four freshmen put in some work this summer.  Each one has shown great promise at times.  The talent is evident.  If even one or two can make the kind of leap Maten made last summer, Georgia should be wearing white in the first round of the NCAA Tournament next year.
• Also, here's hoping announcers practice pronouncing "Ogbeide" all summer.  They'll need to know that name next year.
• The coast-to-coast dunk by Yante was great.  Turtle losing his mind (and his footing) might have been even better.
• Maten's 3-point shot is going to make him almost impossible for most teams to guard next year.
• Can Kenny Paul Geno improve his range over the summer?  If he can add just a little more scoring to everything else he does on the court he's going to be a huge asset off the bench (hopefully).
• Chalk me up as excited to see any lineup with J.J. Frazier and Turtle Jackson in the game together.  They could be a dynamic pairing.
• Houston Kessler has quietly regained a little confidence in his shot over the last few weeks.  I still hope the depth improves to the point where he's not counted on for 12 minutes per night, but when he's in, having the jumper as a threat is key.

So that's that.  A disappointing season?  That's a hard question to answer.  It certainly could have been better had the team gotten a few more breaks...but it probably should have been better regardless.

There will be plenty of time to analyze that.  For now, congratulations to the team on another postseason berth.  Now it's time to put in some work this summer and prepare for a deeper run next season.