Live from UGA-Washington: It’s late night at the Big Dance!
Mark Fox coaches free throws at Thursday's practice. (Photo courtesy of the Charlotte Observer)
Charlotte – To borrow from the Kenny Loggins song that served as NBC’s theme for the 1980 NCAA tournament — yep, NBC once had the Big Dance — this is it. Georgia and Washington are about to meet, and ’round midnight we’ll know if the Bulldogs will be halfway toward the Sweet 16. And now you ask: Who in his/her right mind would pick Georgia to make the Sweet 16?
I haven’t had a very good tournament, forecast-wise — and we’re only in (Full) Day 2! — but I have made a bit of a comeback from yesterday’s misdoings. I had Arizona over Memphis, George Mason over Villanova, Florida State over Texas A&M. (I also had Tennessee over Michigan and came within 31 points of being right.)
As we speak, I’m seated courtside at Time Warner Cable Arena, and you will be shocked to know there are about 12,000 folks wearing powder blue in the joint. (North Carolina play Long Island in the early game.) But before we begin our live-blog thing, I must pass along a snippet of news both good and bad.
Owing to the late start of UGA-UDub, no print edition of Saturday’s AJC will include an MB column reflecting the outcome of the game. This is my 31st NCAA tournament, and it’s the first time I’ve never had a print deadline to meet. But what that does mean is that I won’t have to switch from the live-chatting to write an actual column. I can offer the usual wit and insight — “Yeah, right,” you’re saying — until the final buzzer, if and when it arrives.
With that, we’ll tip off the digital festivities, and I hope you’ll join me in saying: Thank goodness for AJC.com. And, once again, away we go.
By Mark Bradley
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877 comments Add your comment
Floundering Fox Hounds Batman !
March 18th, 2011
11:00 pm
Dawgs are tired hands were on hips the last two minutes.
seanb
March 18th, 2011
11:01 pm
I’m afraid that Robinson might shoot us to a loss! I’m worried as my buddy that is UW alum and fan told me they are a late game team and they turn it up a notch with 5 minutes left…. I told him we beat the hell out of teams until 6 minutes and quit (see Alabama game in SEC trney). We didn’t get the points we needed when they shot 30% so this could get ugly if UW starts hitting shots! (Does it really matter? Neither team has much of a chance Sunday)
GO DAWGS!
Mark Bradley
March 18th, 2011
11:01 pm
Here’s a nugget: The only two threes Washington hit were by subs. Not a triple from a starter.
BobDawg
March 18th, 2011
11:01 pm
Bucket, that is how the triangle works with the Thompkins out at top at times and can dish on the cuts towards the basket.
Katherine
March 18th, 2011
11:02 pm
I’m glad we don’t have a lead….maybe that will spark a fire. When they have a lead they seem to blow it. go dawgs!
D A DoubleU G
March 18th, 2011
11:02 pm
I have no hopes for the Dawgs to win this game tonight.
Truth is, I am just glad to be here.
What time does Tech tip off tomorrow?? Oh…………. sorry.
Floundering Fox Hounds Batman !
March 18th, 2011
11:02 pm
Washington will pull away in the second half. Bet the house on it.
D A DoubleU G
March 18th, 2011
11:02 pm
What time does Tech tip off tonight??
D A DoubleU G
March 18th, 2011
11:03 pm
GO DAWGS!!
playmeortrademe
March 18th, 2011
11:03 pm
and they are running the triangle because Thompkins can’t take his man on the post, and UGA can’t shoot threes well enough to dribble-drive and kick out for three.
Katherine
March 18th, 2011
11:03 pm
Floundering Fox Hounds Batman !
March 18th, 2011
11:02 pm
Washington will pull away in the second half. Bet the house on it.
I wouldn’t be so sure…but if you want to bet your house……
LLUGA
March 18th, 2011
11:03 pm
UGA has 8 turnovers…looks sloppy…waiting for them to have a 10 point lead with about 6 minutes to play…and then lose…I wish I wasn’t so pessimistic, but they look unable or unwilling to put teams away…I wish I was more excited to watch them in the NCAA tourney, oh well…maybe they can surprise us all and win
JSS
March 18th, 2011
11:04 pm
Thompkins is the only one who does generally fall apart when pressured Bucket… You’d love it Ware and Robinson could break people down, they rarely can…. He will be called to bring it up in the NBA like Lamar Odom… It is not bad to have a big man with a handle in the triangle
D A DoubleU G
March 18th, 2011
11:04 pm
There is NOTHING on earth that could make me more proud than to be a student of the University of Georgia.
Win or lose…what a ride!!!
GO DAWGS!!
Bawbie
March 18th, 2011
11:04 pm
Diamond Dawgs defeat the defending National Champions 4 – 2 ! Fire Dave Perno!
JSS
March 18th, 2011
11:05 pm
“does not” that is…
Paul in RDU
March 18th, 2011
11:05 pm
Those are the guys I would have said Riley was scouting. What he really needs is a rebounding center,but doesn’t half the NBA?
Ryan Kaczmarski
March 18th, 2011
11:06 pm
Come be my friend on facebook!!
My old name was “Saint Simons”….
I am against ANYBODY who likes “them dawgs”, and I am a STALKER.
http://www.facebook.com/yer.blues?ref=ts
Go Jackets!!!
BobDawg
March 18th, 2011
11:06 pm
…. some of you are right… Gerald tends to get tight with the 3 pt shot… He isn’t even sure where he is on the court when he hoists it up… Dawgs have to show some toughness this 2nd half and match the Huskies runs…
Bring Tubby Back
March 18th, 2011
11:06 pm
Tubby would have put this ream away.
Bring Tubby Back
March 18th, 2011
11:07 pm
oops… team
My Nerd Bretheren
March 18th, 2011
11:07 pm
Any Tech athletes (current or former) gotten a DUI this week??
Bring Tubby Back
March 18th, 2011
11:07 pm
Tenn got spanked !
Mark Bradley
March 18th, 2011
11:08 pm
Talked to the famous Mark Slonaker at the half. He said Washington was starting to figure out Georgia’s zone. But he thought the long break — halftime is 20 minutes in the NCAA, up from 15 in the regular season — will help the Bulldogs.
D A DoubleU G
March 18th, 2011
11:08 pm
I see NOBODY beating Ohio State.
Hate to say it, but they are the real deal.
Where is Buckeye???
Dawg Fan 21
March 18th, 2011
11:09 pm
If we get Price and Leslie going we should be fine! Keep in mind Washingon has no post up threat and they jack up a lot of threes and as the games goes on shooting alot of threes can wear you out! Uga is not afraid like I thought they would look for them to take over in second half.
Swami Sez
March 18th, 2011
11:09 pm
Dawgs will choke. O bama thinks so too.
BobDawg
March 18th, 2011
11:09 pm
Mr Sloanaker from Rahway, NJ… An Adopted Dawg!
Mark Bradley
March 18th, 2011
11:09 pm
Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer notes that only three Dogs have made a point: Thompkins 15, Robinson eight, Leslie five.
JSS
March 18th, 2011
11:09 pm
Carolina can be turned over like UGA, it always makes them vulnerable to getting spanked by a team that can rebound and get 2nd shots to fall… Harrison Barnes keeps them from really being very ordinary….
BobDawg
March 18th, 2011
11:10 pm
Bring Tubby back… Tenn. did get spanked… Was up in Choo Choo Land today and a scathing article in the paper up there about Pearl and Hamilton ….
Mark Bradley
March 18th, 2011
11:10 pm
Dustin Ware hoisted one shot.
Swami Sez
March 18th, 2011
11:11 pm
Dawgs need more balance in scoring. Dawgs should put in Connor Nolte for added flavor.
Delta Stewardess
March 18th, 2011
11:11 pm
Washington comes out and goes on a 14-2 run.
BobDawg
March 18th, 2011
11:11 pm
Mark, prediction for the 2nd half??
JSS
March 18th, 2011
11:11 pm
What would a AJC blog be without the following word: “Fire (fill in the blank) _ _ _ _?”
Mark Bradley
March 18th, 2011
11:12 pm
My prediction: Georgia will win tonight and Sunday.
Swami Sez
March 18th, 2011
11:12 pm
Dawgs will miss a ton of 3’s in second half and gets blown away.
Delta Stewardess
March 18th, 2011
11:13 pm
D A why would Buckeye even answer you? U are GARBAGE. You talk more crap than The Dorms flush in a day.
playmeortrademe
March 18th, 2011
11:13 pm
“T-squared”?
Clark Kellogg is the tournament’s version of Tim McCarver.
Mark Bradley
March 18th, 2011
11:13 pm
UGA has only taken six three-pointers, making half.
bucket
March 18th, 2011
11:13 pm
I am fully aware of how the triangle is supposed to work!!!!!!!! But if you think what you just saw is the triangle working, then you don’t have a very high basketball IQ!! Washington went over 7 minutes w/o scoring and UGA only held a 7 point lead during that span. I am not a Thompkins hater, I just don’t think he is the guy to be at the point!
Otis for UGA
March 18th, 2011
11:13 pm
Dawgs win if Leslie can get the ball and break toward the hoop and Dish or Dunk! GR is in over his head — he would be a great 6th man. Ware needs to move more wtihout the ball to get an open 3 and Price cant foul out and needs some O. All that happens we win by 12+ Trey can only keep us in the game for so long– HELP THE BROTHER OUT GUYS!
Tell the truth
March 18th, 2011
11:13 pm
never happen stewardess
Tech Stinger
March 18th, 2011
11:14 pm
D A DoubleU G
March 18th, 2011
11:04 pm
There is NOTHING on earth that could make me more proud than to be a student of the University of Georgia.
AJ Green’s Wonderlic score tells it all!!! Did he even pass a class in Athens
BobDawg
March 18th, 2011
11:14 pm
Bradley, You are now an Adopted Dawg… God Bless you! This would be a huge win… Plus would be fun to see Leslie and Thompkins go at it against The Sky Blue Boyz
JSS
March 18th, 2011
11:14 pm
Don’t count on Blubber for a thing… Leslie depends on 2nd option stuff… Ride Thompkins until they show they can stop him!
Delta Stewardess
March 18th, 2011
11:14 pm
Mark do you want to go PINKS on that BET of a UGA getting to the Sweet 16?
Jim
March 18th, 2011
11:15 pm
@stewdardess
Go make some coffee, you trolless. Here we go Georgia, here we go!!!! Sic ‘em Dawgs, woof, woof, woof.
seanb
March 18th, 2011
11:15 pm
Is their a stat for missed layups because Price would win the award this season! He missed one of the glass earlier and they always come when we are about to break open a big lead! Price needs to use his size inside for us to win!