When the Georgia Bulldogs traveled to Starkville to take on the Mississippi St. Bulldogs, the Red and Black were effective offensively yet suspect on defense, as usual. Wait, what?
Let’s try that again: Georgia went on the road to face a ranked conference opponent and played toe-to-toe with Mississippi State, trailing by three at the half before forging a 59-59 tie to send the game to overtime. For much of the back-and-forth battle, the hometown Bulldogs did not outplay the visiting Bulldogs so much as the former’s Dee Bost outplayed the latter’s Gerald Robinson.
Nevertheless, it was Robinson who, after having done little all afternoon long, made the game-tying layup with 30 seconds remaining in regulation to force an extra period. Robinson followed that up with the overtime layup that staked the Fox Hounds to a 61-59 advantage, then with the free throws that tied the game anew at 63, then with the dunk that put the Red and Black back out in front by two, then with the free throws that put the Classic City Canines up by four.
Ironically, with nine seconds to play and Georgia clinging to a 70-68 lead, Robinson missed the front end of the one-and-one that could’ve put the game away, but, when Bost missed the ensuing three-pointer in a game that previously had been topheavy with treys, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope pulled down the rebound, and the right set of Bulldogs had pulled off an improbable win.
Is a young Georgia team finally starting to mature? Caldwell-Pope’s 20 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and six-of-twelve three-point shooting suggest that the heralded underclassman is coming of age, but, son of a gun, the Red and Black have looked good in a couple of consecutive victories, and two in a row is a trend. There may be life in the Athenians yet.
Go ‘Dawgs!
0 recs | 21 comments
Count me very surprised...
but great win for you guys, congratulations.
Caban - February 11, 2012
I agree!
So glad to see this team starting to gel! KCP is a big part of the team’s recent success but the rest of the team, who was relatively inexperienced, seems to have found there strokes. Should be a fun to watch team down the stretch.
cgros - February 11, 2012 via Android app
This was a most entertaining game.
When GR2 started to make penetrate and create opportunites, I knew we had a chance. When we got to overtime, Fox had ’em ready. We hit 42% from beyond-the-arc. They shot well, but our defense really stepped up when it had to. Our offensive rebounds (15) were insane against a “longer” team. Great win.
Maybe these guys are starting to gel a bit.
DavetheDawg - February 11, 2012
Fantastic coaching job by Fox and company today
The 2-3 match-up zone, which I don’t think we have used all year, was great at slowing the Miss St offense and gave our much smaller post players a fighting chance. Offensively, it was obvious Miss St’s big guys didn’t want to come out and hedge on screens, and that freed up our guards for a lot of open looks, which KCP cashed in on.
Great team win today. Good to see us starting to come together after some early struggles in conference play
leedawg - February 11, 2012
Hard to believe...Congrats Dogs on a fine win
Vietnam Dog - February 11, 2012
Who knows
If we win out, we may even sniff the bubble! That being said though, this is a good team, and now I think we have enough confidence in our bench to keep those starters’ minutes down. I’m looking for excitement and heart down the stretch, which is all any Hoop Hounds fan can really ask for, right?
BarnettShoals - February 11, 2012
Winning out would be beyond amazing.
And it would also make me wonder why it took us so long to figure it out only to beat some really great teams.
But still… I’d love it. Think that includes a win over Florida and a win over Kentucky in Rupp Arena. That would be absolutely incredible.
DocSkraynj - February 12, 2012 via mobile
Can't believe the game wasn't on here.
SEC network was showing S.Car. v. Ark. instead. But what a pleasant surprise that we won, ON THE ROAD!
Go Dawgs!
hbtd - February 11, 2012
For those regretful we targeted Fox over Anthony Grant...
Grant has Felton 2007’d away Alabama’s tournament chances and suspended pretty much the entire starting lineup. The Tide were supposed to take the next step this year, but, no.
D.N. Nation - February 11, 2012
NIT??
Hopefully with the little bit of momentum now on their side the team can rally and sneak into the NIT. While it doesn’t have ring of the NCAA tourny it can be big for two reasons: First it shows recruits they are headed in the right direction of making back to back post seasons even after losing Leslie and Thompkins. Second it will give a young team more practices and game(s) to improve for next year.
dawgfan17 - February 11, 2012
That's certainly a reasonable goal...
or we could go all crazy-like, win the SEC Tourney, and crash The Dance.
#partylike2008
DavetheDawg - February 11, 2012
Of course
that would be the best. Win out, win the SEC tourny. Get a decent seed and actually do better than last years team in the end. However I will hope for small steps, like the NIT, while wishing for more.
dawgfan17 - February 11, 2012
Agreed, dawgfan17.
However, the Hoop Dogs have six games to go, two of which are against South Carolina, but the other four of which are against Florida, Kentucky, LSU (on the road), and Vanderbilt. Going 3-3 down the stretch would appear to be the Bulldogs’ best-case scenario, which would put Georgia at 15-15 going into the SEC Tournament, where the Red and Black would need to win one to finish at .500 and two to end the season with a winning record.
Those losses to Ole Miss and Auburn really hurt, in retrospect.
T Kyle King - February 11, 2012
Win two games and it goes all to your head.
tankertoad - February 11, 2012
#FireMikeBobo
vineyarddawg - February 11, 2012
you've gotten mighty snooty
Since you won the Powerball.
DavetheDawg - February 12, 2012
Hey, I didn’t win those games, and I am sure Fox is not letting it get to their heads. Donovan on the other hand, obviously was one of many in Gainesville looking ahead to UK.
BarnettShoals - February 12, 2012
Humor - its ok. Dave got it.
tankertoad - February 12, 2012
Hey, I rec'd the comment, too.
I just didn’t see how I could improve upon DTD’s witty retort.
vineyarddawg - February 12, 2012
Have to
enjoy it while we can with BBall because not sure if this is a trend or just a tease.
dawgfan17 - February 11, 2012
Aww Yea
Glad to see our guys playing hard and having fun again
DawgSantaCruz'n - February 11, 2012
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