In any basketball game, there will be numerous questionable calls. With 40 minutes of play and 10 men on the floor, you just will end up with situations where you get calls that could go either way or no plays that just make your wonder why there was no call at all. A good example is the charge called on Morris at 14:41 in the first half. Putting aside it was called about two seconds after it happened and by the official that was furthest from the play, it was as close to a 50/50 call you will find.
That the call was late and by an official that really had no business making the call is evidence of a downward slide in officiating. That we got the charge instead of Ole Miss getting a block is evidence that you'll never get that call on the road.
Both of those factors played into Georgia's loss to Ole Miss last night.
As the gif above indicates, Henderson gave a masterful performance in drawing a technical that allowed the Rebels to pull within one. I don't faul Henderson here, mind you. The officials have to call a foul on Henderson when he makes contact with the ball handler there. They rarely, if ever do. Welcome to college hoops. That was a huge turn around as that series turned a three point Georgia lead into a two point Ole Miss lead inside three minutes of regulation.
The other one is the last play in regulation. With .6 on the clock, Donte Williams gets ramhammered as he goes up for an alley oop with the game tied. I've watched the play 15 times and still can't figure how there isn't a foul called on Ole Miss. Granted Donte has to make a free throw, but still. I mean, that guy probably owes Donte a meal or something.
The Good
Kenny Gaines kept Henderson under control. Yes, he got 25 points, but 14 of those were from the free throw line. Gaines also had 13 points. Donte put up 10. I don't have to mention it, but KCP had a double-double.
Also, the Dawgs stayed in this thing playing Ole Miss' style in the first half. It was 40-40 at the intermission. We nearly won it by making Ole Miss play our style in the second half. I have to give credit to Coach Fox for that half time adjustment.
The Bad
Four shots taken in the last 2:44 of overtime. Ole Miss wasn't fouling, so the only way to score was to shoot the ball.
Overall, this is as close as a moral victory as we can claim. Ole Miss is a good basketball team. They could end up losing in the first round of the NCAA to Fairfield, or they could end up playing on the second Sunday. That is what having a shooter like Henderson will get you. The Dawgs played perhaps their best offensive game of the season and played pretty well defensively, too. Who knows if the calls mattered in the end? We still lost to a better team, but gave them all they could handle in their gym.
Still, it is too bad the officials got too involved.
TD
