ATHENS — Georgia men’s basketball had its best 13-game start in 94 years. That didn’t impress the Net rankings, the metric that the NCAA uses to pick and evaluate the tournament field. This dominant victory over No. 6 Kentucky should move the needle.
The Wildcats came to Stegeman Coliseum on Tuesday and discovered that the Bulldogs have what it takes to end their NCAA Tournament drought at nine years. Georgia engaged the Wildcats in a physical contest inside a packed house and sent them back to Lexington with an 82-69 defeat. Georgia led for the final 26 minutes of the game and held UK to less than 70 points for just the third time this season.
The Net ratings count this as a Quad 1 victory for Georgia (13-2, 1-1). Those wins carry the most weight on Selection Sunday.
“That’s a big-time win, in my opinion,” said Bulldogs sophomore Silas Demary. “Because there were times last year when we would go all the way to the end (of games) and we would drop those big-time wins. So, I think being able to get over that hump and win those big-time games against those ranked opponents, those Quad 1 wins, it’s just nothing but growth in our program and the growth in the guys who are willing to put in the work every day.”
The Bulldogs have one other Quad 1 victory, against St. John’s in the Bahamas. They had a chance for another in their SEC opener at Ole Miss on Saturday. The Rebels overwhelmed them in the second half for a 63-61 victory. That wasn’t a bad loss for the Bulldogs, but they need resume-enhancing victories.
There are plenty of opportunities for those in the SEC. Georgia’s first five league opponents are currently ranked in the AP top 25 poll. If the Bulldogs keep playing like they did against Kentucky, then they’ll record more Quad 1 victories over the next two-plus weeks.
“It’s a really good win for us, obviously,” Georgia coach Mike White said. “But it’s a different SEC nowadays. All of these are going to be extremely difficult. We’ve got to get ready for the next one quickly.”
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
No. 17 Oklahoma comes to Stegeman Coliseum on Saturday. Next week the Bulldogs are at No. 1 Tennessee and host No. 2 Auburn. The victory over Kentucky (13-2, 1-1) should grab the attention of the rest of the league, especially with the way Georgia played defense.
The Wildcats shot 37.5% from the floor and Georgia collected 70% of UK’s missed shots (28 defensive rebounds). After the victory, the Bulldogs ranked 20th nationally in Ken Pomeroy’s defensive efficiency metric. They finished last season ranked 58th.
“We’ve got improved length and speed and quickness,” White said. “Our guys have embraced trying to be the best defensive team they can be, which just makes you fit in this league is all it really does. It’s the best defensive league in the country.”
The Bulldogs excel at scoring by attacking the basket. Kentucky has three big men who block a lot of shots: Amari Williams (6-foot-11), Andrew Carr (6-11) and Brandon Garrison (6-10). The Wildcats like to win by playing fast and scoring a lot of points. Georgia prefers a slower tempo and a defensive grind.
The contrasting styles meant that something had to give. It wasn’t Georgia. Kentucky blocked five shots, but the Bulldogs kept coming. They scored 16 of their first 32 points in the paint and drew 11 shooting fouls against UK. Georgia made 29 of 38 free-throw attempts with guards Demary (8-for-8) and Blue Cain (5-5) leading the way.
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
The best example of UGA’s tenaciousness was a first-half dunk by freshman center Somto Cyril. Williams blocked Cyril’s first attempt but he kept possession of the ball, gathered himself and went back up to dunk over Williams. That basket gave the Bulldogs a 39-30 lead and electrified their fans.
Asa Newell’s 3-pointer at the buzzer sent the Bulldogs to halftime with a 47-34 advantage. When the Wildcats whittled the lead down to five points with 12 minutes to go, Georgia responded with four straight free throws. Kentucky was down 61-54 with 9:27 left. Newell scored the game’s next five points to put away the visitors.
After the victory, the Bulldogs joined fans in the student section for a spirited celebration.
“It was amazing,” Newell said of the atmosphere. “They told me that the ‘Steg’ was going to be get rocking, and it definitely rocked tonight.”
Late in the game, some Georgia fans jeered the Wildcats with “overrated” chants. That’s not true. Kentucky is very good. The Bulldogs showed they are, too. This could finally be the year they are good enough to be part of March Madness.
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