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UGA Has Dumbfounding Loss at Missouri

January 28, 2020
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I am dumbfounded by this one. Georgia lost to Missouri after building up a 20-point lead on the road (please keep reading). 

Missouri is not good, either. That’s what is even worse about this loss for Georgia. The loss to Ole Miss on Saturday was bad, but this was worse… and that’s really saying something. This is one of those losses that makes folks reconsider everything.

I’m not ready to do that yet. But I am ready to wonder how a UGA team that was so much better than the team it played could build up, and then lose a 20-point lead. This is the sort of loss that can’t happen - not with a lottery pick… not without a lottery pick.  

I doubt Tom Crean sleeps tonight. 

The flight back from middle earth won’t be any shorter tonight after that collapse. Georgia played so well for three-quarters of the game - and Missouri is just not good. Both of those things made it even harder to understand the Dawgs coughing up a massive lead to a team they were clearly better than. 

And you can look ahead in the schedule to see paths forward to the possibility of something better, but at this point in the season if this team can’t be trusted to hold on to a 20-point lead why should we trust them to hold on to any lead at all?

The potential for this team was pretty high coming into the season, but its becoming clear now that there were too many starting spots to fill with too many first-year players to really think this team could do long-term damage. 

Way too many moving parts to figure out. 

Then again… this team went on the road and beat top-ten team EARLIER THIS MONTH. Now Georgia can’t figure out how to handle the worst teams in the SEC (or anyone in the SEC that’s not Tennessee). A 17-point slapping of the Vols was sandwiched between a 22-point loss to Auburn, and a 32-point loss to State. 

This team is beyond erratic, and yet they could be dangerous if they would just get their act together. It was whipping Missouri’s ass by spreading the court. Then UGA went totally cold on the offensive side of the ball. Cutters that appeared easy to find at the first 30 minutes of the game were no where to be seen in the final minutes. 

It’s not like this was a 20-point lead in the first half that was a result of hot shooting - Georgia was just beating Missouri, and the lead had grown coming out of the half. Then, with a less-than-half-full arena watching on, the Tigers rallied as if to make themselves relevant in league play for the first time… well, ever. 

This week has crushed the momentum Tom Crean has built up over months of working the recruiting circuit and the fans. He’s done the hardest part - people are actually asking what in the world is going on with basketball… how can this happen?

In other words, fans have started to care. But losses to Ole Miss and Missouri will make people dismiss the entire thing, or worse, become agnostic about the entire thing all over again. And that would truly be a step backwards. Georgia fans have no appetite for basketball to start with - any excuse to not care is a good enough excuse… and that’s a shame. 

Finally, folks need to resist the urge to criticize Anthony Edwards whenever possible. He’s an exceptional talent who has single-handily put Georgia on the map this season. Can you name another player on this team? Rayshaun Hammonds? Although he started the game, Hammonds didn’t score and had a total of two rebounds. 

There’s plenty to criticize Edwards about, but its getting excessive for no real reason. He’s the star… this is how it goes. But that doesn’t mean it is correct.  

Edwards had a double double tonight. He led the team in scoring, rebounds and assists. He was setting back screens to get guys open. That’s not a common occurrence for lottery picks. He probably mixed the Powerade before the game as well. 

You want to get picky about what Edwards did or does wrong? Fine. That’s you trying to be the smartest person in the room. Georgia is struggling and that is overshadowing just how great he can be at times.

It is also true that Edwards being on the team doesn’t mean the opponents are going to be scared of him. Georgia is going to have to fight its way out of this mess, and I’m not certain they are going to be able to. The only way this happens is with Edwards leading the way. 

Recap: This was a really bad loss. That’s about all you need to know. 

 
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