Tag: georgia basketball news

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 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.

Watch: Georgia basketball sinks Commodores with sunken buzzer beater

Hoping for a couple of misses and hoping to rebound, Tyree Crump and company needed a miracle. Tom Crean’s team got just what they needed.

To a pessimist, it was a battle between bordering states’ basketball bottom dwellers.

To an optimist, it was a glass-half-full of fun.

Georgia pulled off a rare come-from-behind win in Nashville against Vanderbilt amidst a season plagued with blown leads.

Trailing by a single point with just over five seconds remaining in regulation, Tyree Crump lined up outside the paint prior to a pair of Vanderbilt free throws. Hoping for a couple of misses and then hoping to rebound, Crump and company needed a miracle.

Tom Crean’s team got just what they needed.

One of this college basketball season’s best back-and-forth contests played out the ending we all deserved, and thankfully for Dawg Nation, the good guys came out on top.

 

Former Crean apprentice Dwyane Wade chimed in to express some enthusiasm for his collegiate coach’s current squad.

Georgia improves to 14-13 on the season and picked up their fourth conference win of the year. The Bulldogs’ next appearance will be in Columbia to take on the South Carolina Gamecocks on Wednesday, February 26.

Georgia basketball great Terry Fair dies at 59

Georgia basketball great Terry Fair, who was a key player on UGA’s Final Four team, has passed away at the age of 59.

Former Georgia basketball star Terry Fair has passed away at the age of 59, the school announced.

Fair, who was a four-year starter for the Bulldogs, was a key player on Georgia’s 1983 final four team.

According to the university, Fair died on Thursday of natural causes. He passed away in his hometown of Macon, Georgia.

A 6-foot-7 forward, Fair was selected in the fourth round of the 1983 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers.

He went on to play professionally in Israel for a decade and was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.

From UGA Sports Communications:

Fair arrived in Athens in the fall of 1979 as a centerpiece of what was then the Bulldogs’ greatest recruiting class ever along with Dominique Wilkins, Derrick Floyd and Lamar Heard. Fair was a consensus All-American as a senior at Southwest Macon High School after he led the Patriots to the 1979 national championship while averaging 21.1 points and 15.2 rebounds per game.

Fair, Wilkins, Heard and Floyd helped lead the Bulldogs reach numerous firsts during their careers. Georgia earned its first postseason bid ever in 1981 with an invitation to the NIT. The Bulldogs returned to the NIT in 1982 and advanced to the semifinals at Madison Square Garden.

In 1983, Georgia secured its first-ever invitation to the NCAA Tournament after winning the SEC Tournament. Fair was named the championship game’s MVP by CBS after scoring 19 points in the title tilt against Alabama.

Fair and the Bulldogs, to pull off their historic 1983 run, took down St. John’s in the Sweet Sixteen before facing UNC, a team that featured four future NBA players – Michael Jordan, Kenny Smith, Brad Daughtery and Sam Perkins.

In the Sweet Sixteen win over St. John’s, Fair was unstoppable. He scored 27 points, had 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 steals and 3 blocks in the 70-67 win over eventual NBA Hall of Famer Chris Mullin and St. John’s.

Georgia eventually fell to NC State in the Final Four. The Wolfpack would go on to win the 1983 NCAA Tournament, led by legendary coach Jimmy V.

At the conclusion of Fair’s collegiate career, he was the Bulldogs’ all-time leader in steals (194) and games played (123). He also ranked No. 2 in rebounds (923), No. 4 in points (1,492) and No. 9 in assists (177).

Years later, Fair’s 923 rebounds still ranks No. 2 in school history.

“Terry was a player who never thought about ‘me.’ He was always thinking about the team,” said Hugh Durham, Fair’s coach at Georgia. “He played so hard defensively and would do whatever you asked him to do for the team. Those are the things that I remember most about him as a player.”

Fair’s decision to stay in-state and play for Georgia was a monumental factor in making the Bulldogs a relevant basketball program.

Together, he, Dominique Wilkins, Vern Fleming, James Banks and team captain Lamar Heard (who passed away in 2017) put Georgia basketball on the map for arguably the first time in the program’s history.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Fair’s family and the entire Georgia basketball community.

Georgia basketball loses 4th straight SEC matchup at Missouri

Georgia men’s basketball team loses their 4th straight SEC matchup in Columbia, MO to Missouri. The Dawgs are now 11-9, 1-6 in SEC play.

The Georgia Bulldogs men’s basketball team dropped a close one Tuesday night in Columbia to the Missouri Tigers by a score of 72-69.

The Dawgs have now lost four straight games, all of them being to SEC opponents.

Georgia led by as many as 20 points in the second half, thanks to freshman guard Anthony Edwards scoring 23 points, leading all players on the night.  Senior guard Tyree Crump put up 13 for the Dawgs as well as freshman forward Toumani Camara tacking on another 12.

The Bulldogs came out hot offensively but skidded to a halt later in the second half, sparking an offensive run from the Tigers.  Missouri’s senior forward Reed Nikko capitalized on the Dawgs cold second half shooting, finishing with a career 13 points, 11 of them coming in the second half surge.

“Momentum is always up for grabs,” Tom Crean said in a postgame interview. “And in the second half, Reed Nikko took momentum from us. Reed Nikko changed the energy of the game for them.”

Nikko also had a game saving play, blocking Edwards while up two with only nine seconds left in regulation.

Three Missouri players scored in double digits with junior guard Dru Smith leading the Tigers with 16.

Missouri freshman forward Kobe Brown was emotional for this game.  Brown was named by his father after the late Kobe Bryant and wears number 24 after Bryant.  Following the tragic news of the NBA legend and his daughters passing, Brown talked about Kobe Bryant postgame.

“I was bummed,” said Brown. “It took a toll. I send my regards to all the families that were involved in the crash.”

What looked like a promising, potential NCAA Tournament season is now on the line with very slim chances of the Dawgs being alive in March.  According to TR Brackets, Georgia now has a 2.2% chance of making the tournament.  Losing the past 4 SEC games moves the Bulldogs to 11-9 on the season with a 1-6 record in conference play.

With a 2.2% chance being very unlikely, things aren’t looking good for the Dawg faithful … but you’re saying there’s a chance.

Georgia continues their late season SEC play this Saturday vs Texas A&M at home.  Tipoff is set for 1:00 p.m. EST on SEC Network.

Preview: Dawgs get road rematch vs Kentucky

Georgia basketball has a tough test on Tuesday.

The Georgia Bulldogs are in need of a win after Mississippi State thrashed them on Saturday in Starkville, dropping them to eleventh place in the SEC early on in conference play.

On Tuesday, the Dawgs will get a chance to avenge another previous loss this season to the Kentucky Wildcats, in a game UGA led at halftime but faltered down the stretch to lose in front of a packed Stegeman Coliseum.

In order to beat the Wildcats this time around in enemy territory, the Dawgs will need to play a much more physical brand of basketball than they did during the matchup on January 7th, in which Kentucky dominated the glass in the second half and slowed the game down to play at their pace.

UGA will also need freshman sensation Anthony Edwards to replicate the Herculean performance he displayed last week in a home win over Tennessee, in which he scored 20 points in the first half alone.

Needless to say, this will not be an easy matchup for Tom Crean and company. We’ll see how they fare in this tough SEC contest.

Recap: UGA cruises past Tennessee

UGA basketball got a much-needed win Wednesday.

The Georgia Bulldogs were in desperate need of a spirit-boosting win on Wednesday night after two straight losses to open up SEC play, and they got it in the form of an 80-63 home domination of the Tennessee Volunteers.

The Dawgs took control of this game from the opening tip, with freshman phenom Anthony Edwards pouring in 20 points in the opening half to make it his highest scoring first half of the season. Georgia led by double digits throughout most of the first half and all of the second half.

The Dawgs shot a flaming 44% from three-point range and 48% percent overall from the field, a stark contrast from their cold shooting outing in Auburn days ago. Edwards would finish with 26 points including 7/8 from the charity stripe.

Georgia now sets it sights on a road contest against Mississippi State on Saturday.