Saturday, February 13
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
3:30 PM
University of Georgia
12-8,5-8SEC
82
at
115
Alabama
17-5,12-1SEC
1
2
F
Georgia
38
44
82
Alabama
51
64
115
Bulldogs Fall at No. 11 Alabama
February 13, 2021 | Men's Basketball
Tuscaloosa, Ala. – The Georgia basketball team was defeated by No. 11 Alabama on Saturday afternoon, 115-82 at Coleman Coliseum.
Four Bulldogs saw double-digit afternoons, led by freshman K.D. Johnson who has put up back-to-back career-high scoring affairs. Today with 24, his previous was 22 set against Tennessee Wendseday, Feb. 10.
Sophomores Sahvir Wheeler and Toumani Camara both ended their afternoons with 16 and 12, respectively. Camara recorded his sixth double-double of his career finishing with 13 rebounds as well. Junior Tye Fagan concluded the contest with 11.
Graduate Justin Kier reached a milestone, after hitting a layup late in the game, securing his 1,300-career point. Sophomore Jaxon Etter set his career high in points as well with ninel.
"We didn't get the ball stopped," Head Coach Tom Crean said. "We mixed up our matchups, which is fine, because it's not a matchup game, it's an open shot game and we did not get the ball stopped enough. When we don't get the ball stopped, it creates the over helps and the last thing you want to do against a really good shooting team is be in a position to overhelp."
With two of the most up-tempo offenses going head to head, points would come quickly and often. Camara started the game off sinking two free throws 13-seconds into the game and the back and forth would begin there. Alabama would hit two triples and a layup in but the Bulldogs would show sparks of their own with Wheeler hitting a deep-two and a Camara jam. Wheeler picked the pocket of Alabama's Jaden Shackelford and the game would be knotted at eight at the under-16. Alabama would jump out to a 10-2 run that saw the Bulldogs trail by seven. Georgia's defense stepped up and held the Crimson Tide scoreless for nearly two-minutes after their run to cut the lead their lead to three at the under-12. The tight contest continued with Johnson and Garcia cashing in from their trips to the charity stripe, mixed with a Camara layup brought lead within one. Alabama's Keon Ellis and Shackelford would push that lead back out to seven after hitting back-to-back 3-pointers at the under-eight. Alabama would continue their run getting it out to a 9-2 run. A Johnson layup would end the short scoring drought that plagued the Bulldogs but Alabama was just too hot from behind the arc making five of their last six to give them the biggest lead of the game to this point at 11. Alabama would end the half making four of their last five shots, including seven of eight from three and would take a 13-point lead into the break.
Both teams start the second half making four of their last five with Johnson hitting his second triple of the afternoon in the process. Alabama would then go on a 5-0 run that was broken up by an Etter layup. Bulldogs would go on a 5-1 run showing some signs of life, but Alabama would jump out to a 5-0 run of their own giving them their largest lead to this point at 18. Bulldogs would go on to make three of their last four thanks to the combined efforts of Etter, Fagan and Andrew Garcia who converts an and-one to cut the lead to 14. Alabama pushed their lead back to 18. Etter would continue his scoring efforts, converting another and-one to cut the lead down to 15. Alabama's Jahvon Quinerly would hit his third triple of the afternoon to push the lead back to 18 at the under-eight. Johnson and Camara kept the fight until the end, scoring the majority of the Bulldog's point. Kier would see his first bucket of the game as well. Alabama's offense was too much down the stretch jumping out to their largest lead of the game of 32, with the Bulldogs just not being able to recover from the deficit, ultimately falling 115-82.
Georgia will return to Stegman Coliseum for a contest against Missouri on Tuesday, Feb. 16 with first tip set for 6:30 p.m. and television coverage provided by SEC Network.
Georgia head coach Tom Crean
On Alabama's three-point shooting…
"We didn't get the ball stopped. We mixed up our matchups, which is fine, because it's not a matchup game, it's an open shot game and we did not get the ball stopped enough. When we don't get the ball stopped, it creates the overhelps and the last thing you want to do against a really good shooting team is be in a position to overhelp. We didn't guard the ball, obviously, a couple of times as well in the isolation game, but there is still no reason to have to over help. They're [Alabama] so good at one more pass, then one more after that. They coach a style that is very much about finding the matchup that they want. You have to live with it. We wanted to get the game trimmed back down so we could get back into zone, but we weren't able to do that because we had the foul issues that we had today. When you overhelp against good three-point shooting teams that are equally as good at passing the ball, you're in for a problem and they were hitting them. Our shot challenges were not nearly what we needed it to be, and again, we're not making threes on the other end, which carries into the disappointment in the transition end. So, we were trying to make sure that we were trying to get to the foul line because right now, we're missing shots, so the best thing we can do is get to the rim, that way we can set our defense. There were times we were able to do that and times that we weren't. I think we got is back down to 14 or 12 in the second-half, and we had a couple of mistakes and right away it's back up to 19. We overhelped. We didn't get the ball stop, which creates overhelps and when people overhelp on us and we're making threes, we shoot them pretty well when they shoot them pretty well every day. They're just thriving off of you coming off and helping on the ball so they can make that next pass."
On what some of the issues are with the low field-goal percentage defense…
"I think I covered it, it's basically the same thing every night. You have to get the ball stop, you can't be in an overhelp situation. You can't overhelp against those teams. You have to control the ball better, stunt and present help, but not overhelp. Then I think, and this was the other day, we're not challenging shots with the length. A great example, he played really well, was Jaxon Etter. Jaxon has a hand up, but he's not taking Herb Jones' vision. There's a huge difference between having a hand up, having your hands out and really being aggressive and really driving your hand up and forcing the trajectory of the shot. That's the biggest thing I think that starts in transition that way. It's the not challenging shots with length, and with every length that we have and it's being in over helps."
On how much of a factor pace was in the game...
"I don't know—we wanted to guard the ball full court. I don't know, what do you think? I don't really pay attention to that. I try and look at what the game has given us. When we are making shots, first and foremost you don't want to put handcuffs on and say we are not taking threes. We wanted to go through the paint because we got to the post quickly in the second half. At one point there was a timeout and we only had two team fouls and we got up to five fouls quickly. That was what the game was giving us this season when we are not shooting the ball as well. I don't know if it is pace as much as not guarding the ball and someone overhelps. Whether it was in the middle of the clock, early, or late in the clock. But, every guy on Alabama's team that is put on the floor can make threes. He [Nate Oats] has done a great job with the players he has inherited and recruiting players. They really move the ball well because they want almost every possession. They go after certain people and try to get you to overhelp. We took the cheese which is not how you beat a team like this."
On what he was telling his team during the game...
"Just get in front. Don't open up on the ball and keep your chest in front. Don't give them any angles. But, what happens is they start that dribble and then they put it down, and we take the first penetrating dribble and open up into our back foot. The other problem with us today was that so many of their drives are nonpenetrating drives; they are drives to get you to help, they are not necessarily driving that is going to the rim. But, there are also times that they are just trying to bate you into it. That is when we needed to stay strong in the slots and not over help in that area, but because we didn't get the ball stopped, and we were rotating, they were making those next two passes which really hurts."
On the importance outside shooting is in today's game and boosting shooting in the Georgia program…
"It doesn't boost it in my mind. We have to be better there, that's what we're trying to build and what we have built in the past, especially in the last place at Indiana [University]. We just have to get that built up. We are going through some slumps with some guys. We're at three games where we shot in the mid-forties. The last thing I want to do is take confidence, but there's no doubt that we have to get better at shooting the ball now and in the long-term. The bottom line is, we have to find ways to overcome it when we're not. That's where the post-up, that where driving the ball and getting to the foul line is that in the game. So, when the ball is moving freely and we're knocking down threes, it's just a basketball game, but eventually when it's not, you have to look at what you can look at the game. But again, I am saying that and I'm over there positive, but I am also not the one missing threes and losing my confidence. My job is to try to not let them lose their confidence when they're missing threes, but continue to understand how important our defense of transition and balance is, and continue to understand how to get to the basket, so that—because when we drove [to] the basket for the most part we got some good whistle there."
On his conversation with Nate Oats after the game…
"No problem. I like Nate [Oats] a lot. I'm not big on repeating my conversations, but I like Nate a lot. There's no issue."
Four Bulldogs saw double-digit afternoons, led by freshman K.D. Johnson who has put up back-to-back career-high scoring affairs. Today with 24, his previous was 22 set against Tennessee Wendseday, Feb. 10.
Sophomores Sahvir Wheeler and Toumani Camara both ended their afternoons with 16 and 12, respectively. Camara recorded his sixth double-double of his career finishing with 13 rebounds as well. Junior Tye Fagan concluded the contest with 11.
Graduate Justin Kier reached a milestone, after hitting a layup late in the game, securing his 1,300-career point. Sophomore Jaxon Etter set his career high in points as well with ninel.
"We didn't get the ball stopped," Head Coach Tom Crean said. "We mixed up our matchups, which is fine, because it's not a matchup game, it's an open shot game and we did not get the ball stopped enough. When we don't get the ball stopped, it creates the over helps and the last thing you want to do against a really good shooting team is be in a position to overhelp."
With two of the most up-tempo offenses going head to head, points would come quickly and often. Camara started the game off sinking two free throws 13-seconds into the game and the back and forth would begin there. Alabama would hit two triples and a layup in but the Bulldogs would show sparks of their own with Wheeler hitting a deep-two and a Camara jam. Wheeler picked the pocket of Alabama's Jaden Shackelford and the game would be knotted at eight at the under-16. Alabama would jump out to a 10-2 run that saw the Bulldogs trail by seven. Georgia's defense stepped up and held the Crimson Tide scoreless for nearly two-minutes after their run to cut the lead their lead to three at the under-12. The tight contest continued with Johnson and Garcia cashing in from their trips to the charity stripe, mixed with a Camara layup brought lead within one. Alabama's Keon Ellis and Shackelford would push that lead back out to seven after hitting back-to-back 3-pointers at the under-eight. Alabama would continue their run getting it out to a 9-2 run. A Johnson layup would end the short scoring drought that plagued the Bulldogs but Alabama was just too hot from behind the arc making five of their last six to give them the biggest lead of the game to this point at 11. Alabama would end the half making four of their last five shots, including seven of eight from three and would take a 13-point lead into the break.
Both teams start the second half making four of their last five with Johnson hitting his second triple of the afternoon in the process. Alabama would then go on a 5-0 run that was broken up by an Etter layup. Bulldogs would go on a 5-1 run showing some signs of life, but Alabama would jump out to a 5-0 run of their own giving them their largest lead to this point at 18. Bulldogs would go on to make three of their last four thanks to the combined efforts of Etter, Fagan and Andrew Garcia who converts an and-one to cut the lead to 14. Alabama pushed their lead back to 18. Etter would continue his scoring efforts, converting another and-one to cut the lead down to 15. Alabama's Jahvon Quinerly would hit his third triple of the afternoon to push the lead back to 18 at the under-eight. Johnson and Camara kept the fight until the end, scoring the majority of the Bulldog's point. Kier would see his first bucket of the game as well. Alabama's offense was too much down the stretch jumping out to their largest lead of the game of 32, with the Bulldogs just not being able to recover from the deficit, ultimately falling 115-82.
Georgia will return to Stegman Coliseum for a contest against Missouri on Tuesday, Feb. 16 with first tip set for 6:30 p.m. and television coverage provided by SEC Network.
Georgia head coach Tom Crean
On Alabama's three-point shooting…
"We didn't get the ball stopped. We mixed up our matchups, which is fine, because it's not a matchup game, it's an open shot game and we did not get the ball stopped enough. When we don't get the ball stopped, it creates the overhelps and the last thing you want to do against a really good shooting team is be in a position to overhelp. We didn't guard the ball, obviously, a couple of times as well in the isolation game, but there is still no reason to have to over help. They're [Alabama] so good at one more pass, then one more after that. They coach a style that is very much about finding the matchup that they want. You have to live with it. We wanted to get the game trimmed back down so we could get back into zone, but we weren't able to do that because we had the foul issues that we had today. When you overhelp against good three-point shooting teams that are equally as good at passing the ball, you're in for a problem and they were hitting them. Our shot challenges were not nearly what we needed it to be, and again, we're not making threes on the other end, which carries into the disappointment in the transition end. So, we were trying to make sure that we were trying to get to the foul line because right now, we're missing shots, so the best thing we can do is get to the rim, that way we can set our defense. There were times we were able to do that and times that we weren't. I think we got is back down to 14 or 12 in the second-half, and we had a couple of mistakes and right away it's back up to 19. We overhelped. We didn't get the ball stop, which creates overhelps and when people overhelp on us and we're making threes, we shoot them pretty well when they shoot them pretty well every day. They're just thriving off of you coming off and helping on the ball so they can make that next pass."
On what some of the issues are with the low field-goal percentage defense…
"I think I covered it, it's basically the same thing every night. You have to get the ball stop, you can't be in an overhelp situation. You can't overhelp against those teams. You have to control the ball better, stunt and present help, but not overhelp. Then I think, and this was the other day, we're not challenging shots with the length. A great example, he played really well, was Jaxon Etter. Jaxon has a hand up, but he's not taking Herb Jones' vision. There's a huge difference between having a hand up, having your hands out and really being aggressive and really driving your hand up and forcing the trajectory of the shot. That's the biggest thing I think that starts in transition that way. It's the not challenging shots with length, and with every length that we have and it's being in over helps."
On how much of a factor pace was in the game...
"I don't know—we wanted to guard the ball full court. I don't know, what do you think? I don't really pay attention to that. I try and look at what the game has given us. When we are making shots, first and foremost you don't want to put handcuffs on and say we are not taking threes. We wanted to go through the paint because we got to the post quickly in the second half. At one point there was a timeout and we only had two team fouls and we got up to five fouls quickly. That was what the game was giving us this season when we are not shooting the ball as well. I don't know if it is pace as much as not guarding the ball and someone overhelps. Whether it was in the middle of the clock, early, or late in the clock. But, every guy on Alabama's team that is put on the floor can make threes. He [Nate Oats] has done a great job with the players he has inherited and recruiting players. They really move the ball well because they want almost every possession. They go after certain people and try to get you to overhelp. We took the cheese which is not how you beat a team like this."
On what he was telling his team during the game...
"Just get in front. Don't open up on the ball and keep your chest in front. Don't give them any angles. But, what happens is they start that dribble and then they put it down, and we take the first penetrating dribble and open up into our back foot. The other problem with us today was that so many of their drives are nonpenetrating drives; they are drives to get you to help, they are not necessarily driving that is going to the rim. But, there are also times that they are just trying to bate you into it. That is when we needed to stay strong in the slots and not over help in that area, but because we didn't get the ball stopped, and we were rotating, they were making those next two passes which really hurts."
On the importance outside shooting is in today's game and boosting shooting in the Georgia program…
"It doesn't boost it in my mind. We have to be better there, that's what we're trying to build and what we have built in the past, especially in the last place at Indiana [University]. We just have to get that built up. We are going through some slumps with some guys. We're at three games where we shot in the mid-forties. The last thing I want to do is take confidence, but there's no doubt that we have to get better at shooting the ball now and in the long-term. The bottom line is, we have to find ways to overcome it when we're not. That's where the post-up, that where driving the ball and getting to the foul line is that in the game. So, when the ball is moving freely and we're knocking down threes, it's just a basketball game, but eventually when it's not, you have to look at what you can look at the game. But again, I am saying that and I'm over there positive, but I am also not the one missing threes and losing my confidence. My job is to try to not let them lose their confidence when they're missing threes, but continue to understand how important our defense of transition and balance is, and continue to understand how to get to the basket, so that—because when we drove [to] the basket for the most part we got some good whistle there."
On his conversation with Nate Oats after the game…
"No problem. I like Nate [Oats] a lot. I'm not big on repeating my conversations, but I like Nate a lot. There's no issue."
Team Stats
UGa
Bama
FG%
.431
.643
3FG%
.105
.600
FT%
.774
.833
RB
29
36
TO
13
18
STL
10
5
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
24
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
10
Pts
16
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Basketball
/ Men's Basketball
/ Men's Basketball
/ Men's Basketball
/ Men's Basketball
/ Men's Basketball
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