University of Georgia Athletics
Dog Notes: Stellar Half Not Enough
December 04, 2015 | Men's Basketball
By John Frierson
UGAAA Staff Writer
One half Friday night showed what this Georgia men's basketball team can be when the Bulldogs get rolling. The other, followed by the disappointment of defeat, showed what can happen when the energy and attention to detail dips.
In the end Friday, Georgia's second-half struggles and Kansas State's clutch rebounding and shot-making down the stretch were the difference in the Wildcats' 68-66 win at Stegeman Coliseum.
The game ended when Georgia junior guard J.J. Frazier's 3-point heave at the buzzer didn't drop. It appeared that a Kansas State player might have interfered with the ball as it headed down toward the rim, but nothing was called and the play is not reviewable.
"It shouldn't have come down to the last play," said Frazier, who finished with 11 points.
The loss drops the Bulldogs to 3-3 and was a disappointing end to a game that began with the best ball Georgia has played this season. In the first half Georgia had the offense flowing inside and out, while the defense was solid.
Senior guard Kenny Gaines was getting and making shots inside and out (he scored 13 of his 17 in the first half), while junior forward Yante Maten was a dominant force in the paint. That didn't change for Maten who had 10 points in each half for a game-high 20.
It was a clean, crisp opening 20 minutes as the Dogs went 15-for-30 from the field and turned the ball over just five times. Georgia led by as many as 12 in the first half and led 37-28 at halftime.
"We had our offense flowing and we were playing really well together. We started good but we need to finish the game," said Maten who finished 8-for-11 from the field and added five rebounds and three blocks.
It was, from the outset, a much, much different second half. For starters, after 12 total fouls were called in the opening 20 minutes, Georgia and Kansas State hit that number in less than seven minutes of the second half. In all, 31 fouls were called in the second half and 36 free throws were attempted.
But the near-constant tooting of the whistles was a problem to be dealt with by both teams, coach Mark Fox said. The difference in the game was the first seven-plus minutes of the second half, when the Wildcats (6-1) came out with much more focus and energy. That led to a 17-5 run and a 45-42 KSU lead with 12:34 to play.
"A very poor start to the second half," Fox said. "We start with a questionable shot and then a couple of turnovers and never could regain a real offensive rhythm in the second half."
It was a back-and-forth game for the final 12 minutes, with neither team leading by more than four points. Georgia finished the second half 8-for-21 from the field and turned the ball over eight times.
"It shows that we need to get it done in the moment of truth," Maten said. "You can't take any plays off and I think a lot of the freshmen, and it's a good reminder for even those that have been here for a while, that you never take a play off defensively."
Second Chances
For the game, Kansas State finished with 36 rebounds and Georgia had 35. But the Wildcats were able to come up with some critical offensive rebounds -- they had 16 offensive boards to Georgia's 11 -- and also get multiple second chances after good UGA defensive plays.
An offensive rebound and foul sent KSU's Wesley Iwundu to the line with 2:17 to play. He hit both for a 64-63 Wildcats lead. Maten scored inside on the ensuing possession and the Dogs led 65-64 with 2:05 left.
At the other end, Kansas State missed a 3-pointer, got the rebound and missed another 3. Gaines missed a 3 on Georgia's next possession and freshman forward Mike Edwards grabbed the rebound but missed the putback.
After a timeout, Maten blocked a Justin Edwards shot out of bounds. Seconds later, Gaines blocked a Justin Edwards shot out of bounds. Then, following a timeout, KSU's Dean Wade hit a baseline 15-footer for a 66-65 lead.
"They played harder, they played tougher than we did," Frazier said.
Mike Edwards grabbed another offensive rebound for the Dogs and was fouled. With 29.7 seconds left, he made the first free throw to tie the game at 66 but missed the second. Kansas State ran the clock down and was able to get Wade open on the baseline for another 15-footer, this time a game-winner.
Fox said he thought Georgia was late rotating on the final KSU shot, which is why Wade had an open look on the jumper.
Going Deep
It was a unique first half in that Fox used 11 players, including freshman forward Derek Ogbeide, who made his collegiate debut. Fox said Ogbeide, the much-anticipated 6-foot-8, 250-pound big man who has been out nearly a month with a shoulder injury, was cleared to play early Friday afternoon.
While Ogbeide played less than two minutes total, eight Bulldogs were on the floor for at least 14. The only Dog not playing now is junior guard Juwan Parker (Achilles), who has not played all season.
Georgia returns to action Tuesday against Winthrop at 7 p.m. It will be the Dogs' final game before a 10-day break. The game also will be the part two of a Georgia doubleheader, with the women's team hosting Furman at 11 a.m.
John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
