Wow, we now go to Oxford to play a team coming off a home loss to the state rivals, that stinks. We really need to pick up a win on Saturday but I think Miss State just made our job even tougher. Ole Miss looks like a pretty solid team to me, Chris Warren the PG is VERY good. He had 25 pts last night (averages 18.9 a game on the season) and can really shoot the three. Defending him will be a big key to our game tomorrow. They also have a Ga kid, Zach Graham from my neck of the woods-Gwinnett county (Peachtree Ridge HS), who is their second leading scorer at 13.9. The rest of the lot is just a bunch of rangy athletic looking guys that don't score much but can hurt you if you let them. Trevor Gaskins, Terrance Henry and Nick Williams can all play well. They don't have a guy over 6-9 so not like they have a big bruiser down low like Vandy did or like the Sidney kid playing for Miss State-that guys was HUGE and very impressive I might add. What they do have is what they typically have, a lot of athletes and depth. This is a game where if we can get some production from Barnes/Price, and Trey plays as he is capable, we have a size advantage here. I would look for us to try to go inside to those three and also have Travis and Gerald penetrate but like I say, who ever draws the defensive assignment on Warren will have their hands full. Looks as though their primary players, starters, shoot around 80 percent from the FT line, including 94% for Warren and 85% for Graham.
Looking at the game last night, amazingly Miss State shot only 16 FT's making 13 but Ole Miss, at home shot only 5 making 4. Miss State sits now at 9-7 and I admit all I know about them is that they were supposed to be the best in the west but this year have struggled and even had two guys get in an ugly fight earlier in the season. Bama smoked them in their conference opener, 75-57 at that was in Starkville. So, needless to say, them coming to Oxford and winning last night was a shock. But, this is why we must come ready to play ball tomorrow and come away with a win on the road. Our first road SEC win since March of '09, at KENTUCKY-that was of course under Felton. As I have mentioned, we have the size advantage here, Miss States two big guys, Sidney and Augustus had good games last night, especially Sidney with 24 points. Miss State also got a big game from their stud guard Dee Bost who scored 25 but he is averaging nearly 20 a game. The key to a UGA victory to me appears to be our size/bulk advantage and hopefully we can defend Warren. Work the inside out offense and hold Warren under 20, I think we can pull off the win and head home 2-1 in the conference. Get beat on the boards, allow Miss open 3's and commit a lot of fouls allowing them FT chances, we lose.
Hopefully today we find out about Justin Houston. Most seem to think he is gone but the fact he has waited until the last possible minute, deadline is tomorrow, leaves hope that maybe he might come back and certainly this is a very tough decision for him. I read yesterday he got a 2nd-3rd round grade from the NFL, not sure that is accurate but if so, maybe he will return. I feel sure another year in our D can bring him to a 1st round grade. Either way, wish him the best with what I am sure is a very tough decision. *****No update on Houston yet, he has been in Athens this week and attended a team meeting but other than that, no one seems to know what his decision is-folks in his hometown don't know reading Seth Emerson's blog today.
Just remembered, I never mentioned game time or station for the Ole Miss game on Saturday, game is set for 5pm eastern, televised on Fox Sports Net in Atlanta. Tune in and hopefully the hoops team will get a big win and the Falcons will follow with a big win over the Packers.
Also, congrats to Andy Landers and the Lady Dogs, I refuse to say DAWGS so excuse me folks if you are offended, I just have personally NEVER liked DAWGS, prefering Dogs. Anyway, for the first time in 15 years, Lady Dogs on the road game against ranked opponents back to back, beat Kentucky last Sunday and then last night beating the Lady Hogs of Arkansas. They are now 13-3 and 3-0 in SEC play. Great job ladies.
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