Hoops insider: Can Fox and Georgia fashion a fast finish?
For the record, Georgia is unbeaten since Mark Fox got ejected at Tennessee. (AP photo)
Hoops Hysterics
1. Does Georgia have a chance to finish strong? Winning at Mississippi State on Saturday gave the Bulldogs their first victory of substance since they beat Notre Dame in November, and this week offers an opportunity to consolidate gains. They face South Carolina, which is awful, on the road, and then get Vanderbilt at Stegeman Coliseum on Sunday. Win both and it’s possible Mark Fox’s team could finish 7-9 or even 8-8 in SEC play.
2. Which is the nation’s most disappointing team? Aforementioned Vandy has shooters on the perimeter and size underneath and experience everywhere — its contributors are either seniors or juniors, which rarely happens in contemporary college hoops — and still it has lost eight games, five of them at Memorial Gym. Ranked seventh in the preseason ESPN/USA Today coaches’ poll, Vandy didn’t receive a single vote this week.
3. Which is the nation’s biggest sleeper? Every season brings one of these — a team that pops up on the RPI radar for no apparent reason. Southern Miss is 21-4 and is tied with Memphis for the lead in Conference USA, which doesn’t really register anymore. The Golden Eagles didn’t crack the Top 25 in either major poll this week, but they’re 12th in ESPN Insider’s RPI. How? Don’t know. Their three biggest victories were over Memphis, Colorado State and Ole Miss.
My Super Sweet Sixteen
1. Kentucky: Trailing with four minutes left at Vanderbilt, the Wildcats shut out the Commodores the rest of the way. Which takes some doing.
2. Syracuse: The Orange handled Georgetown and UConn at home last week and passed an even sterner test at Louisville on Monday.
3. Missouri: The Tigers are 3-0 against Baylor and Kansas, the other Big 12 powers, and they left no doubt against the Bears on Saturday.
4. Kansas: An impressive rebound. After losing narrowly at Missouri, the Jayhawks beat Baylor by 14 points in Waco.
5. Duke: The astonishing Austin Rivers-led escape from Chapel Hill on Wednesday left the Blue Devils in a three-way tie atop the ACC.
6. Michigan State: No one doubts that Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski is the best coach in the business, but Tom Izzo is clearly the second-best.
7. Ohio State: Just when folks were thinking the Buckeyes were the best March bet, they got smacked at home by Michigan State.
8. North Carolina: Losing by 33 points at Florida State was bad. Blowing an eight-point lead at home against Duke was even worse.
9. Wichita State: Should have seen the Shockers’ emphatic road victory at Creighton coming. They’ve lost once since New Year’s Eve.
10. UNLV: The Rebels lost by two points at San Diego State in January. On Saturday they beat the Aztecs in Vegas by two points.
11. Baylor: On the one hand, the Bears haven’t lost to anybody except Missouri and Kansas. On the other, they’re 0-4 against those two.
12. Louisville: The Cardinals had rebounded from their New Year’s sag to win six straight before falling to Syracuse on Monday.
13. Georgetown: The Hoyas pushed Syracuse to overtime in the Carrier Dome before losing and have a kind schedule from here on.
14. Saint Mary’s: The Gaels suffered a thudding loss at Gonzaga on Thursday, and now they face Murray State on Bracketbuster weekend.
15. Murray State: Speaking of whom … the Racers’ giddy unbeaten season was derailed by a home loss against Tennessee State.
16. Florida State: Should have seen the loss at Boston College coming, too. As well as they defend, the ‘Noles struggle to make a basket.
Dropped out: Florida, Creighton, San Diego State.
By Mark Bradley
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67 comments Add your comment
Monger
February 14th, 2012
11:18 pm
Let’s look at the players Mark Fox has recruited to UGA….
Marcus Thornton….terrible, good for 2 rebounds and 0 points a game. Utter waste. 0 for 1
Donte Williams- average, no bulk 0 for 2
Vincent Williams-who? exactly 0 for 3
Nmanja Drujsic- decent sometimes, dissapears alot, inconsistent too often 0 for 4
John Florveus- a big nothing at all 0 for 5
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope- good player, but as with everyone- vastly underperfoming under Fox’s unimaginative offense. 1 for 6
Our coach is hitting about .180 on good recruits…
5150 UOAD
February 14th, 2012
11:34 pm
I would not bet on any team from Georgia making any run the their league tournaments or the NCAA tournament.
» SEC: Hickey leads comeback as LSU stuns Miss State John Clay's Sidelines
February 15th, 2012
6:50 am
[...] Can Georgia fashion a fast finish? asks Mark Bradley of the AJC. [...]
Jimmy Crack
February 15th, 2012
7:39 am
Let’s look at the last game we played…
Marcus Thornton…9 rebounds
Donte Williams…11 points, 7 rebounds
Vincent Williams…9 minutes played, 2 points
Nemanja Djurisic…7 points, 4 rebounds off the bench
John Florveus…11 minutes, 4 points
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope…20 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists
Monger, the only one I agree about that is underperforming is Vincent Williams, but then again he was an unknown out of high school. Florveus is still new but has shown signs of being a force on the boards, however the Dogs like to play a 3-Guard set, which leaves the big man on the bench. Drujsic is new and learning, too. Give them a chance to grow by playing together for a full season.
Joey
February 15th, 2012
8:23 am
“What coach has ever won the NC in his first decade asa coach??????”
******************************************
TDF, just off the top of my head, Urban Myer, Nick Saban, Les Miles, Bob Stoops.
nate from detroit
February 15th, 2012
9:12 am
A little off topic but the more I watch basketball these days, the less I enjoy it. Can anyone explain to me the thought processes that go into the calls the refs make? My son plays high school and I leave every game saying the officiating can’t get any worse. The only problem is that I leave every game and say this again because it gets worse. Last night I was watching a few minutes of UF vs Bama and a UF player dribbled, stopped, was trapped, reached between the 2 defenders and traveled, then without a Bama player touching the ball, started dribbling the ball and dribbled to the basket for a slam and a foul call on Bama that was horrible because no one appeared to touch him. They have taken a beautiful game and are ruining it right in front of our eyes, but you have to give the refs credit they do get the games over on time.
Felix
February 15th, 2012
11:07 am
Maybe the dogs in the NIT; if not, then the CBI.
BulldogBen
February 15th, 2012
2:30 pm
In a word Mark, no. I think we beat USC tonight but will be swept by UK, UF, and Vandy. Simply can’t compete with them this year.
I think this off season will make or break Fox. He HAS to get some big time recruits. It won’t get him fired next year, but if he doesn’t get the horses then his seat will be scorching after the 2014 season if we maintain this level of sub-mediocrity.
BulldogBen
February 15th, 2012
11:10 pm
Jesus. Guess I was wrong. Total crap sandwich.
BLECH.
this dawg want hunt!!
February 16th, 2012
2:40 am
Where are all the Fox lovers tonight? This guy is a joke, and for some reason he gets a free pass. He could barely win with Felton’s players last year, and now he is showing his true coaching ability this year with his own players i might add. This team is pitiful, and now Fox shows what a great coach he is by losing to the worst team in the SEC, or maybe i should say the second worst team in the SEC, the worst team label now belongs to the brilliant coach Fox and his miserable team. This guy can’t recruit, and he sure as hell can’t coach, yet McGarity sits there and talks about how young this team is. McGarity wakeup, i think Kentucky is a young team also, what a loser excuse maker McGarity is. Now we know after watching McGarity screw the football program up by keeping Richt around, what we can expect him to do with the basketball program as well. He will keep another pitiful coach around, and watch the program strive to become nothing more than mediocre. UGA fans deserve much better than McGarity, Richt, and now Fox. These 3 clowns will never win, yet UGA fans rave about how wonderful they are. Maybe that is the real problem at UGA, the fans accept and applaud MEDIOCRITY, UGA has become the laughing stock of the SEC in Football, and basketball. Thanks alot McGarity, you should be proud of your accomplishments, and be sure and extend Fox’s contract at the end of the season. After all, a coach that losses on his home court to a terrible Tech team for the first time since 1982, and a coach that losses to the 2 worst teams in the SEC, Auburn, and S.C.,deserves an extention.
CaliDawg
February 16th, 2012
3:42 am
It amazes me that the men’s and women’s basketball coaches at UGA never seem to get any real heat…the program, overall, is truly a joke. Time for this AD, which I think would be the first ever at Georgia, to instill some accountability in the basketball program(s). Small schools like St. Mary’s. Gonzaga, Valpo, Murray State seem to be able to do it without “the facilities”, financial backing, lack of a recruiting base, etc. You know why? They have to to float their athletic programs. Hire a real coach, not the typical UGA hire – an up and comer = cheap…and get this program on track!
dale
February 16th, 2012
6:31 am
First time all year I eagerly checked the UGA hoops score, and, of course. Georgia didn’t choke, it was Miss State that choked. I was foolish enough to get excited.
Hoosier
February 16th, 2012
7:03 am
Indiana, our Indiana, Indiana….
Yes, we are in the basketball mecca of Georgia and the SEC, and I am sure it is difficult for a Kentucky man to even mention Indiana, but…not even a sleeper mention?
They just might not be there yet, but they are ahead of schedule. The middle of the year rough patch may have helped this group grow.
Send'em Uhauls
February 16th, 2012
9:45 am
I told you kool aid drinkers that UGA would Choke against South Carolina. Now wait till football. Our athletic program stinks right now.
will
February 16th, 2012
4:34 pm
Fox’ days are numbered. If he’s not fired end of this season he will be next year. He doesn’t know how to recruit in the SEC.
EvDawg
February 17th, 2012
10:06 am
fox better produce big time next year or he can hit the road. I’m tired of this mediocrity.
Upstate Dawg
February 17th, 2012
11:25 am
Not a great effort in Columbia but certainly not CMF’s fault for missed free throws or tip-ins. I was at the game and can attest that he certainly “coached” Neme after successive defensive lapses.
Even though they didn’t play consistently well, they were in good shape to win at the end. Refs appeared to miss a critical goal-tending call which could have altered the result. The general trend continues to be up with the team. If Fox can win at Nevada, he can certainly win at UGA.