Georgia Bulldogs v. Tennessee Volunteers: The Haphazard Ill-Informed Roundball Preview
by T Kyle King on Jan 17, 2011 8:22 PM EST
in Georgia Bulldogs Basketball
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PrintGeorgia has proven it can beat teams with top tier talent (UK) and they've also proven they can win on the road (GT).
Dan Quirk (January 15, 2011)
Mark Fox’s unranked Georgia Bulldogs return to the Classic City from Oxford after notching their fourth win in five true road games this season and producing one of the best rival comment threads ever, arriving in Athens in time to host the Tennessee Volunteers on Tuesday night. The visiting Vols will be without head coach Bruce Pearl, who is serving an eight-game suspension after being busted for "inappropriate conduct" with high school juniors and reportedly asking them to help cover up his violations. (Apparently, this is old news, but, in my defense, this literally is the first time it’s been mentioned here. Of course, I didn’t make reference to Andy Kennedy’s off-court problems in my last haphazard ill-informed roundball preview, so maybe I should just leave opposing coaches alone, particularly since Coach Fox suggests that Coach Pearl’s absence might not matter much.)
The Hoop Dogs, considered by some to be the best team in the SEC after routing the SEC West team with the best RPI, face a Tennessee squad fresh off of an impressive victory over the selfsame Vanderbilt Commodores who handed the Red and Black the season’s only loss on an opponent’s home court.
Through 17 games, the Big Orange ranked fourth in the league in scoring offense (74.6 points per game) yet last in the conference in scoring defense (69.6 points per game). Tennessee’s 14.5 offensive rebounds per outing are the most in the SEC, and that stat was critical in the Vols’ recent win over Vandy. Georgia will have to improve upon its 24.6 defensive rebounds per contest---ninth in the league through the Bulldogs’ first 16 games---in order to stave off a similar run by Tennessee on Tuesday, though some hope is offered by the fact that, against the Commodores, Travis Leslie and Trey Thompkins were in double figures on the boards in the same game for the first time in their careers.
The Volunteers are preparing to face a "hostile environment" in Athens, where they suffered a 78-63 setback a year ago. This is a big game for both teams; although Tennessee has lost six times in its last ten games, the Big Orange’s strength of schedule boosts the visitors’ RPI. Georgia will need this win in order to remain on track for an NCAA Tournament berth.
The Vols, winners of 11 of their last 12 meetings with the Bulldogs, hold an all-time 90-52 edge in the rivalry, but Georgia enjoys a 34-32 advantage over Tennessee in Athens. Tomorrow night’s tip-off in Stegeman Coliseum is set for 7:00 p.m., and the game will be televised on ESPNU.
Go ‘Dawgs!
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I nominate the "Miss Georgia Tech pageant" comment for best of 2011
from the Red Cup Rebellion thread. We owe that man a drink!
We owe him a drink?
He owes me a drink . . . specifically, a replacement for the drink I sprayed all over my computer screen when I read that comment and did a spit-take!
Go 'Dawgs!
ESPNU?
Does that mean there maybe HD – so it isnt so!
"One thing I will never do as long as I’m at Georgia is lose to Florida." - Herschel Walker
Because this is a full-service weblog, . . .
. . . I just ran downstairs (to the big-screen HDTV) and checked the DirecTV guide to confirm that, yes, in fact, tomorrow night’s outing will be in high-def!
I can’t think of a better time to watch Tennessee play basketball in HD than during a game in which Bruce Pearl will be sitting in the nosebleed seats with Cecil Newton. That face and that blazer were not meant for high definition!
Go 'Dawgs!
don't get his hopes up
if he’s disappointed Wed, we’ll never hear the end of it.
I can bake like a demon.
True, but that may create the "teachable moment" . . .
. . . that will allow us to persuade tankertoad to go out and get a dish!
Go 'Dawgs!
Nope...
I have a dish. I have the highest bill known to man and every sports package available. And for some &%)$@#&$%(& reason, &%$#^@##& Dish Network doesn’t have ESPNU in ^$&#)%!($@# HD!!!!!
"If there's one thing worse than chlamydia, it's Florida." ~ Emma Stone, Easy A
I am with you RedCrake -
I have Cox cable and the works on sports and I still watch about 70% of UGA sports without HD. And what I can’t ($$(&$)(*&$)#()!_# understand is the games are broadcast in HD other places. If the game is in HD, and I have an HD box, and an HD tv, and I pay for HD, WTH!?
"One thing I will never do as long as I’m at Georgia is lose to Florida." - Herschel Walker
I'm mad as hell... and I'm not going to take it anymore!
"If there's one thing worse than chlamydia, it's Florida." ~ Emma Stone, Easy A
thanks TKK
the Jayhawks are on ESPN right now and its a LOT A LOT A LOT better.
Wonder who will be announcing. I think I hear Mutsberger on ESPN right now.
"One thing I will never do as long as I’m at Georgia is lose to Florida." - Herschel Walker
According to GeorgiaDogs.com, . . .
. . . the announcers will be Rob Stone and Jay Williams. (I know who Rob Stone is, but I’m not sure who Jay Williams is, because I’m pretty sure there have been at least seven Jay Williamses to have played major college and/or NBA basketball in the last twelve years.)
See? I told you this was a full-service weblog!
Go 'Dawgs!
This Jay Williams
Played at Duke and for the Chicago Bulls. According to the God of all Knowledge (Wikipedia), he is name Jason Williams but upon entering the NBA asked to be called Jay Williams to avoid confusion with fellow NBA players Jason Williams and Jayson Williams. We can all see how well that worked out.
"If there's one thing worse than chlamydia, it's Florida." ~ Emma Stone, Easy A
I always remember him for the sole reason
that he has odd-shaped, pointy little ears.
Oh, and I don’t remember him playing for Duke. I remember him playing for a team called Williams-Battier.
by hailtogeorgia on Jan 18, 2011 8:38 AM EST up reply actions
Don't forget
Carlos Boozer. And Mike Dunleavy. And hey, Chris Duhon. That Duke team was good. Also why I rolled my eyes when the AJC’s brain trust crowned 2007 Florida the Best Team EVAR. I mean, Jay Williams vs. Taurean Green? C’mon, Mark Bradley.
In terms of raw talent, Jay was sick. Think Gerald Robinson’s slashing ability with Leslie’s hops and physicality. Just an all-around beast. Also a tragic figure- College career ended with him boinking a FT in the NCAA tournament (always his bugaboo) and he washed out of the pros after blowing up his knee in a motorcycle accident. Good for him that he’s still found a way to keep hoops in his life.
Don't get me wrong...
I’m not forgetting any of those guys. Boozer, Dunleavy, and Duhon were integral to the team, but that team was Williams and Battier. Without the two of them, it was just another fairly talented, well coached Duke team.
I mean, let’s look at the accolades here:
- Jason Williams was named the NABC Player of the Year.
- Shane Battier claimed the AP National Player of the Year, Oscar Robertson Trophy, Wooden Award, Naismith Award, and Adolph Rupp Trophy awards.
- Shane Battier won the NABC Defensive Player of the Year award for the third straight time.
- Shane Battier tied an NCAA record for victories (131) for a four-year period set by Kentucky’s Wayne Turner.
- Jason Williams set a Duke single-season scoring record with 841 points, previously held by Dick Groat (831) in 1951.
- Shane Battier and Jason Williams were consensus All-American First Team selections.9
- Both Battier and Williams had their jerseys retired by Duke.
by hailtogeorgia on Jan 18, 2011 9:31 AM EST up reply actions
So...
… you’re saying Jay Williams is a Vulcan?
Fascinating.
by vineyarddawg on Jan 18, 2011 9:19 AM EST up reply actions
looks like ESPNU here as well
"One thing I will never do as long as I’m at Georgia is lose to Florida." - Herschel Walker
Meanwhile, apparently, . . .
. . . Bruce Pearl will not be in the building, after all.
Go 'Dawgs!
by T Kyle King on Jan 17, 2011 10:44 PM EST up reply actions
Don't think it will be on HD on my cable, Darn it!
Was our RPI boosted by GT’s smack down of UNC, or is UNC so bad it doesn’t matter?
Surely, if we beat ACC Team "A," . . .
. . . and ACC Team “A” goes on to beat ACC Team “B,” that’s good for us.
Go 'Dawgs!
Unless Team A goes on to get their ass kicked in the Orange Bowl.
"If there's one thing worse than chlamydia, it's Florida." ~ Emma Stone, Easy A
A couple of things...
They do miss Bruce Pearl when he’s not there. His energy and intensity was always contagious with the players. Interim HC Tony Jones, despite being by Pearl’s side the past 10 years or so, is a much cooler customer. It seems to have taken them some time to get used to it.
Leslie and Thompkins are as dynamic a combo as the Vols have/will see this year. Should be great game.
Bring it across, shape it down
A big game and should be a win...
Leslie and Thompkins are as dynamic a duo that the Vols have seen but more importantly—Leslie, Thompkins, and Robinson are as dynamic a trio as UT has seen as well.
A few things bode well for us I think:
First off, UT has problems putting the ball in the basket. A low FG % that is close to being in the bottom half of D1 B-ball. They also rank pretty low in assists. They rebound really well and shoot their foul shoots decently. They’re very athletic and can beat pretty much anyone in the nation but could lose (as we’ve seen) to pretty much anybody in the nation.
I think if our terrific trio does their usual thing, Price has an above-average performance (especially w/ rebounds), and Ware can drop some 3’s, we should win it.
Big, big game…we need it!
How 'Bout Them Dawgs!
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