Category: Hoops

Looking at UGA’s path in the SEC Tournament

Georgia Bulldogs basketball must win five games in five days to make the NCAA Tournament.

The Georgia Bulldogs will have to reinvent their season in order to make the NCAA Tournament. Georgia finished the SEC regular season as the 13th best team in the conference (or 2nd worst if you’re more of a glass half-empty guy).

The first two seasons of the Tom Crean era have been rough in Athens. The University of Georgia has the second worst record in the SEC over that time frame. Only Vanderbilt has lost more than the Dawgs.

Even with Anthony Edwards, a likely top pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Georgia couldn’t hold on to leads or have a winning record. UGA is currently 15-16 overall and 5-13 in SEC basketball play.

Georgia will have to beat Ole Miss on Wednesday, then play Florida Thursday. A win against Florida, who UGA went 0-2 against, will give the Dawgs a date with Mississippi State.

Defeating the Bulldogs would allow Georgia to play the winner of Kentucky versus Alabama/Tennessee in the semifinal. Finally, then Georgia would play in the SEC final game on Sunday for their fifth game in five days.

Here’s the SEC Tournament bracket:

Who do you have? My pick is Kentucky over Auburn in the final.

To win the SEC, Georgia would have to win five games, which is one less than what it takes to win the NCAA Tournament (as long as the team doesn’t play in the first four). It’s not all bad news for Tom Crean and UGA.The Bulldogs have another solid recruiting class coming in.

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Georgia men’s basketball announces new season attendance record

For the second consecutive year, Georgia’s men’s basketball has surpassed Stegeman Coliseum’s annual attendance record.

For the second consecutive year, Georgia’s men’s basketball has surpassed Stegeman Coliseum’s annual attendance record.

Attendance spiked following Tom Crean’s 2018 appointment as the Bulldogs’ head coach. When Crean managed to secure the commitment of 2019’s top high school prospect Anthony Edwards, excitement built further for Georgia basketball fans.

So, an average season with an above-average NBA prospect ended on a sour note against rival Florida. Georgia fans have every right to feel dejected.

Win or lose, however, Georgia faithful kept buying tickets to hoot and holler for the Dawgs. The Steg was packed and, oh my, was it loud.

A sure sign of an impassioned fanbase, the majority of the home crowd stayed until each game’s final whistle all year.

Mind you, that’s not just because of the fans’ recognition of the inevitably horrific post-game traffic splitting from Carlton Street toward either Lumpkin Street or East Campus Road.

The 2019-2020 Bulldogs’ hopes aren’t dead. There’s still an entire conference tourney left to be played.

Crean’s squad, which entered the campaign with high hopes, needs to win next week’s SEC Tournament to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Unless conference tournament results prove otherwise, the Dawgs are considered a bubble team for the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).

In that case, a conference quarterfinal or semifinal would ostensibly improve Crean and company’s chances, but after such an up-and-down season, nothing can be guaranteed (always the case in the sports) or even predicted (always the case in Georgia sports).

Should the Bulldogs receive an NIT invite, they have the opportunity of hosting another game in Athens, potentially adding to the season’s attendance record.

Opinion: No, Georgia basketball did not waste its only season with Anthony Edwards

After Anthony Edwards committed to UGA in February of 2019, many Georgia fans quickly deemed him the Dawgs’ deliverer from mediocrity.

Anthony Edwards arrived in Athens, Georgia to much fanfare.

Depending on which recruiting service you asked, Edwards was either the first- or second-ranked high school basketball prospect of the 2019 recruiting cycle.

After the senior out of Atlanta’s Holy Spirit Prep announced his commitment to Tom Crean’s Bulldogs in February of 2019, many Georgia fans quickly deemed him the Dawgs’ deliverer from mediocrity.

Reminder: this was over three months before Edwards had even graduated high school and over eight months before he would play in his first collegiate competition.

What is almost certainly the Dawgs’ only regular season featuring Anthony Edwards ends with an even 15-15 record. Unless the 2020 Bulldogs can replicate the results of 2008’s unlikely winners in next week’s SEC tournament, Georgia may not qualify for any further postseason play.

Crean’s squad, which entered the campaign with high hopes, needs to win the conference tourney to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Unless tournament results prove otherwise, the Dawgs are considered a bubble team for the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).

A quarterfinal or semifinal appearance in the conference tourney would likely earn them a spot, anything less would likely leave them out. But Georgia basketball fans probably don’t want to think of any more what-ifs.

Though plagued with blown leads and those pesky what-ifs, the Bulldogs’ 2019-2020 campaign was highlighted by several miraculous finishes, wins over Georgia Tech and Auburn, and a slew of NBA-worthy clips from Edwards.

All of that sounds bad. And don’t get me wrong, it’s not great. But here’s the thing: Edwards is still projected as the top NBA draft pick by more than one draft analyst.

This isn’t a moral victory thing. Anyone who watched Georgia’s men’s basketball team all season saw the team fold and surrender late leads on multiple occasions.

To me, a recovering pessimist constantly checking my peripheral vision for any sort of bright side, such results don’t blind me from what I’ve learned to see truth of the matter:

If a star player like Anthony Edwards can come into Georgia’s historically average basketball program and maintain his projected draft position while packing Stegeman Coliseum to the brim, it shows young local talent that they can do the same and receive that fanfare and adoration similar to Edwards’.

That is, before they go get a fat paycheck in the NBA.

Though not assuredly, this could prove vital for a program currently struggling to tread water alongside a strong and balanced Southeastern Conference no longer run just by traditionally powerful Kentucky, Florida, and Tennessee (each of which can usually predict its two annual division games against Georgia as wins).

The Atlanta area is one of the highest-concentrated NBA breeding grounds in the United States. Georgia often lands local four-star recruits but very seldom secures commitments from upper echelon five-stars. The last was current Los Angeles Laker Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in 2011.

Examples: 2018’s Ashton Hagans and E.J. Montgomery enrolled at Kentucky. Wendell Carter enrolled at Duke in 2017. Kobi Simmons enrolled at Arizona in 2016.

So, yeah, in the short term, this isn’t ideal. Especially knowing that .500 winning percentage could’ve been a .533 or a possibly a .567, or heck, maybe even .600!

But since I’m speaking in hypotheticals, Georgia could very well have lost some of their eventual dramatic victories, namely against SMU, Vanderbilt, and Arkansas.

Given what Edwards’ success could mean for the future of Georgia men’s basketball recruiting in the future, I choose to see this year’s 15-15 record as a glass half full.

Even in the short term, the Bulldogs’ hopes aren’t dead. There’s still an entire conference tournament to be played.

Anthony Edwards high on USA TODAY’s NBA Draft Big Board

Georgia basketball star Anthony Edwards is high on USA Today’s NBA Draft big board.

With the 2019-20 NCAA basketball regular season coming to an end, USA TODAY’s Rookie Wire put together its NBA Draft Big Board.

They listed 75 players and had Georgia freshman sensation Anthony Edwards as the No. 3 player on the board.

Edwards trails only LaMelo Ball and Onyeka Okongwu.

Edwards, a shooting guard who came to Georgia with massive expectations, had a solid season in Athens despite the team’s struggles.

Edwards’ numbers have been great, averaging nearly 20 points, five rebounds and three assists. Though Georgia’s season was a disappointment, Edwards gave Dawgnation something to watch and get excited over.

On Edwards, Rookie Wire said:

Under head coach Tom Crean, the University of Georgia freshman has been a revelation in transition offense. Edwards ranks Top-5 in total scoring on these plays, per Synergy, averaging 5.7 points per game. He looks his best when his shot attempts come closer to the rim, especially considering his 6-foot-9 wingspan. Farther from the basket, meanwhile, more than half of his 3-pointers have been unassisted. This shows he is capable of creating his own shot.

Most NBA mock drafts have Edwards going at No. 1 overall, thanks to his superstar potential. If that happens, Edwards would become Georgia’s first ever No. 1 NBA Draft pick.

Georgia basketball sets season attendance record

Anthony Edwards and company have helped the Georgia Bulldogs basketball program set their single season attendance record.

In what’s been an up and down basketball season to say the least, the Georgia Bulldogs have set their record for single season attendance. At 15-14 the Dawgs have had a somewhat disappointing season. UGA had arguably their best basketball recruiting class ever and is now 12th in the SEC.

Fans can pat themselves on the back for supporting the team throughout a tough season. A huge factor in Georgia’s impressive attendance is freshman stud Anthony Edwards. Edwards is projected as the top pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Georgia basketball coach Tom Crean thanked the fans following the Dawgs’ win over Arkansas this Saturday:

Anthony Edwards and Tom Crean have helped energize Georgia’s program, but can the Bulldogs make a run in the SEC Tournament. Georgia will have to win the SEC Tournament in order to make the NCAA Tournament.

Georgia set a new attendance record last season. With better home attendance, UGA will win more home games and have a better team. Georgia has gone an impressive 12-4 at home this season.

The fans are making a difference as they do throughout college basketball (look at home-away records for every team). Georgia can get even better at home. Elite teams in the NCAA rarely lose at home. Tom Crean and the young Bulldog team will be better on the road next season. This year’s 3-8 record won’t cut it for UGA to make the NCAA Tournament.

Feb 1, 2020; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs guard Anthony Edwards (5) encourages the crowd to make noise during the game against the Texas A&M Aggies during the first half at Stegeman Coliseum. Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Anthony Edwards has been a treat to watch!

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What have we learned from Georgia football alumni at the NFL Combine?

In which we compile all of this week’s posts pertaining to former Bulldogs at this week’s NFL Scouting Combine

For those who can’t focus the ideal amount of attention to Georgia football news, I’ll compile some of this week’s posts pertaining to former Bulldogs at the NFL Scouting Combine:

Brian Herrien provides a recollection of Nick Chubb’s encouragement.

Both of Georgia’s invited tailbacks were faster than Florida’s only invited tailback.

D’Andre Swift proved speedier than his two most famous former teammates.

J.R. Reed can do it all.

Charlie Woerner is a man among boys.

In other news:

The basketball Bulldogs stuck out a nervous victory over Arkansas sealed by an Anthony Edwards dunk.

The baseball Bulldogs embarrassed Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Fewer than twenty hours prior, Scott Stricklin’s Bulldogs edged out the Yellow Jackets by a score of six to five.

Georgia basketball earns much-needed win over Arkansas

Tom Crean’s Georgia Bulldogs came out on top over Arkansas in a contest filled with one-sided scoring streaks.

Needing a win to stay in contention for a first-round bye in the SEC tournament, Tom Crean’s Georgia Bulldogs came out on top over Arkansas in a contest filled with one-sided scoring streaks.

Amidst a season plagued with blown leads and resultant losses, Georgia faithful could never feel comfortable with the Bulldogs’ 18-point lead.

The visiting Hogs twice cut the lead to a single point before the home Dawgs sealed the game.

Projected top NBA Draft pick Anthony Edwards took over the final 1:07 of the game, scoring nine of his 26 points in crunch time. Edwards punctuated the game with a ferocious two-handed dunk that sunk Arkansas.

Fellow NBA prospect Rayshaun Hammonds posted 22 points and nine boards.

Despite a lackluster season for Georgia basketball, the NBA’s projected top pick Anthony Edwards has thrown together a rather modest highlight film in what will almost certainly be his only season in Athens.

Watch: Georgia basketball’s Anthony Edwards runs court, lifts for two-handed slam

The NBA’s projected top pick Anthony Edwards has thrown together a highlight film in what will almost certainly be his only season at UGA.

Despite a lackluster season for Georgia basketball, the NBA’s projected top pick Anthony Edwards has thrown together a rather modest highlight film in what will almost certainly be his only season in Athens.

For your viewing pleasure, our own James Morgan gathered and posted a compilation of Ant Man’s nastiest dunks sporting red and black.

In the Bulldogs’ home game against Arkansas, Edwards added another clip to his human highlight reel (if you’re reading this, Dominique Wilkins, we love you).

In the game’s closing moments, Edwards reassured fans that the proper phrase is “Dawgs on Top” as opposed to “Hogs on top.”

To emphasize, here’s another look at how Edwards sprinted down-court and embarrassed five other adults at once:

 

Georgia closed out the game to improve to 15-14 on the season.

Edwards finished the game with 26 points and seven boards.

Lakers relying on Georgia’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in title quest

Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is expected to play a key role for L.A. in the NBA Playoffs.

The Los Angeles Lakers are the best team in the Western Conference after the NBA All-Star break. At 44-12, the Lakers gamble to trade for Anthony Davis has paid off. Los Angeles has already won more games than last season thanks to the unstoppable combination of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

LeBron has taken over L.A.’s point guard duties and leads the NBA in assists by over 1.5 assists per game. Many of LeBron’s assists come to former Georgia Bulldog great Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

KCP is averaging only 9.6 points per game, but he is doing so at the most efficient clip of his career. KCP is shooting 47% from the field and 40.7% from three point territory this season. Each of these numbers are the best of his seven season NBA career.

The Lakers desperately need Caldwell-Pope’s defense and shooting this postseason. His improved efficiency will be key for the Lakers to watch moving forward.

L.A. elected to stay quiet at the trade deadline, but they need perimeter help, or perimeter players like KCP to emerge. Yes, they recently added Markieff Morris, but they need to take some of the ball-handling pressure off LeBron. KCP can help do that.

KCP will have a significant workload in the NBA postseason, something we haven’t seen out of a Georgia Bulldog in quite sometime. It’ll be fun to watch for UGA fans moving forward!

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Dwyane Wade: UGA basketball coach Tom Crean ‘changed my life’

Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade gave Tom Crean, his college coach at Marquette, a shout-out during his jersey retirement.

NBA legend Dwyane Wade played sixteen seasons in the NBA. He primarily played for the Miami Heat, who retired his famous number three jersey last night. Wade helped the Heat win three NBA Championships during his storied career.

Feb 22, 2020; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat former player Dwyane Wade speaks during his jersey retirement celebration at American Airlines Arena. Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Before Dwyane Wade began his legendary career, he had humble beginnings in college. Wade wasn’t academically eligible during his first season at  Marquette University under current Georgia Bulldogs basketball coach Tom Crean. Wade built a tight relationship with Tom Crean that went beyond basketball. In fact, Wade claims Crean ‘changed my life’ for the better.

The rest is history. Once Wade became eligible at Marquette, he took the Golden Eagles to a 26-7 season as a sophomore, then to a final four appearance as a junior. Wade lived up to the hype after being the fifth pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.

Tom Crean is doing his best to make a similar impact on the lives of his players at UGA. Anthony Edwards may be Crean’s most talented player since Wade.

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