Chances are this shot went in. (Photo: Georgiadogs.com)

Derrick Dukes was known for two things as a basketball player at Georgia in the late 1990s: never seeing a three-point shot he didn’t like and also attempting some of the most fearless dunks seen at Stegeman since ‘Nique.

He would have been proud of Fresno State last night. When they weren’t putting up three-pointers (40 of them to be exact, a record for a Georgia opponent), they were trying lob passes and power dunks, often with spectacularly bad results. They hit a gaudy 18 of those three-pointers (also a record by a Georgia opponent), but all those shots served to do was to keep the game from getting completely out of hand. Georgia controlled this game in every way from style to tempo to statistics en route to an 88-78 win in the first round of the NIT. They shot well, outrebounded the opponent, and had an effective inside-outside game that the visitors couldn’t match.

Fresno’s scouting report must have simply read like this: "Deny Takais Brown at any cost." The game opened with the "other" Bulldogs doubling down on Brown and leaving Georgia’s sharpshooter Levi Stukes without a defender in the same ZIP code. Used to intense pressure from SEC defenses who know him well, Stukes seemed to have a "WTF?!" look on his face when Fresno started the game by daring Georgia’s career three-point leader to hit an open shot. He hit three of them in quick succession. Fresno State called a timeout and righted the ship, even taking a 22-17 lead, but the damage had been done. Those first three shots got Stukes’ rythym going, and he didn’t let up for the rest of the night. He scored 30 points and hit 8-of-9 from behind the arc to spark Georgia.

Only a toe on the line on his third attempt of the night and a shot before halftime that was just off the mark kept Stukes from tying the Georgia record for most three-pointers in a game (G.G. Smith hit nine of them – also in the NIT and also against Fresno State).

Fresno did a decent job of bothering Takais in the first half; they held him to just six points. The slack was picked up by Stukes and Dave Bliss. Bliss in limited action was effective against the smaller Bulldogs due to the attention given to Brown. He made the most of it and scored in double-figures. Brown got things going in the second half. With Fresno tired and dealing with some foul trouble inside, the added pressure of Stukes outside opened things up for Brown. He showed everything from a nice mid-range touch to strong post moves and scored 15 of his 21 points in the second half. His tendency to be deliberate with his post moves (really…he could be timed with a sundial) might have cost some additional chances to score, but he was often able to work out of those double-teams and pass the ball to an open shooter.

Defense (or lack of it) was on a lot of minds after the game. Some wondered why Georgia stayed in a zone (either a 2-3 or 1-3-1 for nearly all of the game) while Fresno proved to be effective zone-busters from outside. Coach Felton explained after the game that we would rather they take those shots than use their size and explosiveness against some bad matchups in a man defense. As it turned out, they hit just enough shots to make it interesting and keep it from becoming an ugly game, but Georgia took advantage and built their lead during the few shooting lapses Fresno did have.

The challenges are very different in the next game. Georgia advances to play at Air Force on Monday night. The time is yet to be announced, but we expect it will be 9:00. Air Force got a little fight from Austin Peay in the first half in their first round game, but they pulled away in the second half for a comfortable win to break a four-game losing streak. Air Force will be a test of patience and discipline for Georgia. The Falcons play that Princeton-style offense that lulls you to sleep and then kills you with backdoor cuts or penetration. They have an incredibly balanced and experienced starting lineup, so you can’t count on them to make many unforced mistakes.

Just a quick update to write that tonight’s NIT first round game in Athens will be broadcast by ESPN2 at 7:00.

I’ll be the one in the stands.

Photo: Rivals.com

The AJC’s recruiting writer, Jeff D’Alessio, has an impressive introduction to incoming linebacker Charles White from Blythewood, S.C. From the reaction on the message boards today, he’s already well on the way to becoming a fan favorite.

Really…read the whole thing. Some choice quotes:

I received a text message that I had a scholarship to the University of Georgia. And I promise you there was not a happier young man anywhere in the world. What a blessing.

I want to prepare myself mentally, physically, and emotionally to flourish in college. And push for a national championship.

I really pride myself on being a student of the game, but to do that you need to be under the instruction of teachers of the game. So I am looking forward to being on campus so I can learn every day.

After I committed, I really was blind to any other schools’ sales pitches. I was and am firmly convinced that the best thing for me, my life and my family is to be a Georgia Bulldawg.

Academically at Georgia, I want to … Maintain a 4.0 GPA, major in psychology and also be named an Academic All-American.

How can you not pull for a guy like that?

The Journal News, a newspaper serving the Lower Hudson Valley of New York, has a nice feature up on local product Cori Chambers and the twilight of her college career.

“It’s my last shot at doing something I’ve always wanted to do,” said Chambers.

Cori is the leading career three-point shooter at Georgia, but her senior season has been a story of ups and downs. Just as she seemed to be shooting herself out of a long slump against Kentucky in the SEC Tournament, she injured her toe.

I will go so far as to say that the play of Chambers alone might be one of the top three factors determining how far the Lady Dogs can go. Limiting turnovers is especially important, and that’s a team effort. Defensive intensity is also a key indicator. Then there is Chambers. With Tasha Humphrey inside, the perimeter game is the real question mark. It has been feast or famine. If the outside shots are falling, teams can’t zone and double-team Humphrey inside, and Georgia puts up points inside and outside. If the outside shots aren’t falling, teams have been able to strangle Georgia’s offense and get them in low-scoring battles.

Chambers and backcourt teammate Janese Hardrick are seniors with important roles to play in that perimeter offense. They are in position to have a lot to say about how their college careers will end and how their legacies at Georgia will be written.

“I thought (the #3 seed) was pretty generous,” said wing Megan Darrah.

That’s pretty much the reaction after last night’s selection show, but they shouldn’t be too surprised. Georgia was still very much in the running for a #2 seed, and until the SEC semifinal they were a better candidate than Purdue or Vanderbilt. That one loss wasn’t going to kill them.

The Lady Dogs have six losses this year, and all came against tournament-bound teams. The “worst” of them were to #5 seeds: George Washington and Middle Tenn. State. They are 8-6 against the NCAA field this year. Coach Landers was correct that “There were a lot of two and three seed-type teams,” but Georgia had more than enough quality wins to separate themselves.

Tournament coverage and reaction:

• AJC
• ABH

The Georgia Lady Bulldogs were awarded the #3 seed in the Dallas region. They will face #14-seed Belmont in the first round on Saturday March 17th at 2:30 p.m. in Minneapolis. The game will be televised by ESPN.

If Georgia advances, they will face the winner of the Iowa State (#6 seed) vs. Washington State (#11) game.

Seeds of note in the Dallas region:

#1: North Carolina
#2: Purdue
#3: Georgia
#4: Texas A&M
#6: Iowa State
#7: Georgia Tech

I can see several storylines forming already. Georgia’s last trip to Minneapolis was for the 1995 Final Four. They upset Purdue the last time they met in the 2004 NCAA Tournament. Georgia beat Iowa State in the 1999 Elite Eight to advance to their most recent Final Four. Andy Landers is very familiar with Texas A&M coach Gary Blair; Blair used to coach at Arkansas. The Lady Dogs destroyed North Carolina in the 2000 Sweet Sixteen, the last time those teams met.

Georgia Tech also has some storylines. They had their best conference finish ever and finished over .500 in the ACC for the first time in program history. A #7 seed is a very appropriate recognition for that accomplishment. If they advance to the second round, they will likely face Purdue, and then things get interesting. Tech coach MaChelle Joseph is one of the most decorated women’s basketball players in Purdue history. She also served as an assistant coach there but left under less-than-ideal circumstances and with some pretty hard feelings. It would be an emotional challenge if she faced the Boilermakers.

Halftime should be fun

Fresno State and the University of Georgia have agreed to have some very special guests recognized at Wednesday night’s NIT first round game in Athens.

Basketball legend Kenny Brunner will throw the ceremonial jump ball. Brunner, aka “Bad Santa”, is currently having a cup of coffee with the Buffalo Silverbacks of the ABA. He played at Fresno State in the late 1990s and intended to enroll at Georgia but was denied admission. Brunner will return with Aaron Scranton to give a martial arts demonstration at halftime.

Honorary coaches Jerry Tarkanian and Jim Harrick will lead the teams onto the court before recognizing academic achievers from local Athens elementary schools.

All University of Georgia students showing a Western Union wire transfer receipt at the door will be entered into a drawing for a new television set.

ESPN will have the women’s NCAA selection show tonight at 8:00.

Once we learn where the Lady Dogs are headed, I’ll have it here. I expect them to land a #3 seed.

The UGA release:

The Men’s Basketball team is returning to the postseason when it takes on Fresno State in the 1st Round of the National Invitational Tournament on Wednesday, March 14 in Stegeman Coliseum. Tip-Off is scheduled for 7:00pm.

Reserved Seat tickets are $15 and can be ordered online www.georgiadogs.com beginning late Sunday evening. Beginning Monday at 8:30am, fans can also order by calling the Athletic Ticket Office 1-877-542-1231(toll free) or by stopping by the Athletic Ticket Office located in the Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall in addition to the online sales. Also, Stegeman Coliseum Ticket Windows will open two hours prior to tip-off for day of game sales. Mastercard, VISA and cash are all accepted forms of payment.

Due to Tournament policies, no fan is guaranteed the same seat as they have during the regular season. However, a limited amount of seats in Sections D-E-F-G will be held for Basketball Enhancement Fund (BEF) donors and men’s basketball season ticket holders and assigned upon availability.

Due to the limited turnaround time, all online and phone orders will be held for pickup at Will-Call Ticket Booth 3 at Stegeman Coliseum beginning two hours before tip-off on the day of the game.

The first 500 UGA Students will be able to attend the game for FREE by showing their valid UGA ID Card at Stegeman Coliseum Ticket Booth 4 beginning two hours before tip-off on the day of the game. All other UGA Student Tickets will be $4 each when showing a valid UGA ID Card at Stegeman Coliseum Ticket Booth 4 on the day of the game. All UGA Student Ticket sales are cash only.

Georgia men’s basketball has life beyond the SEC conference tournament for the first time since Coach Felton’s debut in 2003-2004.

They will host Fresno State as the #4 seed in the South bracket in the NIT. Should they win, they would play the winner of the Air Force / Austin Peay game. We’ll have times and ticket information as soon as we get them.

The NIT field, though not the NCAA field of course, still has plenty of decent teams. Squads like Akron, Clemson, Syracuse, and FSU who just missed out on NCAA bids will be competing for the trip to New York.

There are four SEC teams in this NIT field: Georgia, Alabama, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State.

Georgia had a tougher time against this field than the NCAA field: they are 1-3 against NIT teams with the sole win coming against Mississippi State.

Fresno State is 22-9 overall and 10-7 in the WAC. They have two wins over NCAA-bound teams, Creighton and New Mexico State, and they’ve beaten Utah State who joins us in the NIT field. They finished well after being left for dead midway through the season.

A February 1st loss to Hawaii had them at 15-7. Starting guard Ja’Vance Coleman was kicked off the team. Backup point guard Tyson Parker broke his hand. Instead of packing it in, they played better. They have won seven of nine to finish the season, and their only two losses since have been by a combined eight points to NCAA-bound Nevada and Boise State. They have won four straight road games entering the postseason.

They are led by a trio of athletic big men. 6’6″ swingman Quinton Hosley is the leading scorer at around 14 ppg. He can put it up from outside and gets around nine rebounds a game. He was ejected from the WAC Tournament loss to Boise State, but he won’t miss any more time because of it. 6’8″ forward Dominic McGuire will be a tough matchup. He can bang inside to the tune of 10 rebounds a game and 110 blocks this year but can also step outside. 6’9″ forward Hector Hernandez puts up the most three-pointers of anyone on the team. Point guard Kevin Bell is capable enough running the show. He has a solid assists/turnover ration over 2.

You see immediate matchup issues as Takais Brown and Georgia’s other wings and forwards will have to chase these guys all over the court. Depth is obviously an issue; they don’t go very deep at all especially after the midseason losses.

Arkansas’ trip to the SEC finals earned them a questionable 12-seed in the 2007 NCAA Tournament. They join Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt in the tournament.

Georgia played eight teams from this year’s NCAA field and is 4-9 against them:

• Florida (0-3)
• Georgia Tech (0-1)
• Wisconsin (0-1)
• Kentucky (1-1)
• Gonzaga (1-0)
• Arkansas (1-0)
• Vanderbilt (1-1)
• Tennessee (0-2)

Georgia is 4-3 against tournament teams seeded sixth or lower.

Killing time until the NIT brackets are announced at 9 on ESPN2.

With Kentucky’s quarterfinal loss to Mississippi State this afternoon, the market for SEC Tournament tickets just evaporated. Tickets should be easy to find for anyone looking to go to any of the remaining rounds.

Though Georgia had one of the better classes in the nation and met some very specific needs in their most recent haul, a lot of fans were grumbling on Signing Day because a few big names inside the state went elsewhere. It didn’t matter that one player’s father played for Tennessee or that another thought he was suited to play linebacker at 270 lbs. In the eyes of the people who just see the names and their rankings, Georgia whiffed.

I don’t think we’ll see a repeat of that response with the 2008 class.

With this week’s commitment of Statesboro defensive tackle DeAngelo Tyson, Georgia’s nine commitments to date include three players who might be ranked among the top five at any position in the state of Georgia. They are:

• Tyson, a 6’2", 275 lb. defensive tackle. Projected to be named the top player in the state when the prep rankings come out this summer.
• Richard Samuel, a 6′, 200 lb. running back from Cass who might end up at linebacker on the next level.
• Cornelius Washington, a 6’4", 200 lb. defensive end from Burke County. The top rush end in the state missed most of last year with a broken arm, but there is no questioning his physical gifts and frame.

Those are just the ones who have committed so far, and it’s so early in the process yet. Georgia is in great shape with other top junior prospects like lineman A.J. Harmon and receiver Tavarus King. If they can hold on to the commitments they have and add a few more of the others down the road, fans won’t have anything to gripe about next February.

What is it with tournaments and clock issues? The SEC women’s tournament last weekend was plagued with them. Last night’s Georgia-Auburn game was delayed due to a stoppage with eight minutes left. You could see Dennis Felton agonizing over the delay as it might cool off his team during a critical stretch in the game where Auburn was threatening to come within single-digits. Even the ACC Tournament had its issues.

The Gwinnett arena is particularly bad. I’ve been to about seven or eight basketball games in that arena and seem to recall a clock issue every time. Several times last weekend we saw that there were "-1" seconds remaining in the game. There was the enjoyable instance a few years ago during the Russell Athletic Shootout where the horn blared without stopping for about ten minutes.

It’s the downside of using arenas that aren’t designed for or are sparingly used for basketball. In the case of the Gwinnett arena, the scoreboards are miserable. They are small and difficult to read at the far ends of the seating configuration that is more ideal for hockey. You would hope that these groups who work hard to land these prestigious events would have a bit more pride about their arenas and pay as much attention to the operating of the scoreboards and clocks as they do to making sure we know who the event sponsors are.

The SEC Tournament’s first round saved its most interesting game for last. The first three games went as expected and were solid double-digit wins for the favorites. Things get more intense today as the top four seeds join the action. LSU’s upset win over Tennessee ensures that at least one SEC West team will advance to the semifinals, but will there be another?

• Kentucky 79 – Alabama 67. The Cats had a pretty easy time with the Tide, and it didn’t help Alabama that Steele was limited. You just can’t overstate Kentucky’s comfort playing in the SEC Tournament. They’re not the best team here, but they are used to advancing. Their omnipresent fans give them a lift. Even in a down year, why shouldn’t they be expected to reach the semifinals? Alabama, on the other hand, put the finishing touches on a disappointing season. Last year’s NCAA Tournament run notwithstanding, they tend to be one of the league’s biggest paper tigers from year to year.
  
• Arkansas 82 – South Carolina 52. The Hogs have been tough to figure out this year, but they too had few problems in their opener. South Carolina is a much lesser team away from home, and it showed in this game. They didn’t shoot well, got outrebounded, and couldn’t create turnovers. Arkansas hit 12 more shots and dominated the second half. Arkansas seems like a solid NIT team, but it’s looking less likely that the Gamecocks will get an opportunity to become a three-time repeat NIT champion.
  
• Georgia 80 – Auburn 65. The Dawgs grabbed control of this one late in the first half and held the lead in double-digits during the second half. They overmatched Auburn at most every position and were effective inside and outside. Auburn has improved this year much like Georgia, and they had won three of their last four entering the tournament. But Georgia showed again that they have come further and are the better program.
  
• LSU 76 – Tennessee 67 (OT). Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl recognized the trouble early. This game was played exactly to LSU’s pace – low-scoring and in the halfcourt. Tennessee had no answer for Big Baby Davis inside – he dominated on offense and affected what the Vols wanted to do on the other end of the court. Davis’s presence forced Tennessee to rely on their strength – the three-point shot, but it let them down in this game. They shot just 23% from outside, and guards Wayne Chism and JaJuan Smith combined for a dreadful 0-12 from outside. Even sharpshooting Chris Lofton only hit three from behind the arc. The Tigers had the game won in regulation, but poor rebounding and a horrible call actually gave Tennessee a chance to attempt the game-winning shot. LSU closed the door in overtime, and Davis ensured that there would be no second comeback. Though they struggled for much of the season, LSU showed how dangerous a team can be in the postseason with a single dominant player. Ole Miss should be a bit nervous. Wins at Arkansas and Georgia helped to limit concerns about Tennessee’s play away from home, but those same questions have to be asked again with their NCAA seeding at stake.