BULLDOG BEAT: Dawgs snatch defeat from jaws of victory

It’s the score at the end of the game that counts. The Georgia Bulldogs learned this lesson once again today, in what has become a familiar scene for them this season. Georgia led by 14 with seven minutes left and by 11 with five minutes left, but found a way to lose to Alabama Friday at the Georgia Dome in an SEC tournament quarterfinal.

“It’s  a  hard-fought game, a tough  loss,” said UGA coach Mark Fox. “Really  a  tough  loss. Have  to  credit  Alabama. They  made  the plays late. We just didn’t close the game.“

The Crimson Tide led for all of one minute during regulation and trailed nearly the rest of the two halves. However, the Tide rode a 9-0 run after the six-minute mark and narrowed Georgia’s once-commanding lead to just four with three minutes to go. After the Bulldogs scored on a three-point play by Trey Thompkins, Alabama embarked on another run, this time 8-1, to eventually tie the game at 53 with four seconds to go.

The Bulldogs seemed tire down the stretch.

“I  probably  should have  played  more  guys,” said Fox. “But  this  was  a hard-fought  game  and  I  rolled  the  dice with those kids who have carried us so far this year. But their pressure wore on us. Second game in two days, and you really didn’t  see  the  effects  of  it, I  don’t  think,until the second half.”

After Bama tied it, Georgia had one last chance to win the game in regulation. Point guard Dustin Ware dribbled the length of the floor and made what appeared to be a game-winning shot at time expired, but Fox called timeout prior to the shot being released.

“The ball went in,” said Fox. “So, sure, I mean, I wish I hadn’t called it, because the ball went in. But, you know, that’s a tough, tough break.”

Bama dominated the overtime period, outscoring Georgia 12-4 after Thompkins had given Georgia a short-lived two-point lead.

Georgia was led by a game-high 24 points from Travis Leslie, while Thompkins added 19. Bama (21-10) was led by JaMychael Green’s 20.

The Bulldogs (21-11) will now await the decision of the NCAA Tournament selection committee, which will announce the field of 68 on Sunday at 6 p.m.