Dogs win one for JT, another good sign on bubble watch 2011

The UGA baseball team played their first game since Jonanthan Taylor/Zach Cone accident on Sunday. They traveled to Macon to play Mercer and came away with an 8-6 win. Here are some interesting quotes from Coach Perno, from a story on UGAsport.com, I think anyone with a child or anyone that has ever played a sport and felt that special bond of being friends and teammates can relate to some of these-

"I think it's 24 hours away before we'll know anything (about a prognosis)," Perno said in a telephone interview with UGASports as the team headed back to Athens. "It was obviously an extensive surgery and obviously we've been gone all day. I saw him this morning, he couldn't talk. He was on a ventilator (standard procedure), but he was coherent.

"It's just hard for me to see him like this. As a parent, as a coach, it's the most helpless feeling when you see your player or our children ? and you can't do anything about it. It's really, really, difficult to handle."

"He's with us but it was tough trip down here. It might have been the quietest trip I've ever been a part of, nothing's ever been close to it going to a game. The entire two hours, it was pretty much silence on the bus," Perno said. "Then in BP, they started getting going a little bit but there was still just a lot of focus, not a lot of horseplay. I think everybody, for lack of a better word, is angry. I think that this might be that missing piece."

"It's hard. Like I said, there was a lot of crying and it's been very emotional but I think our salvation will be winning some baseball games," he said. "I think that's the one thing that can bring joy to this team, joy to J.T. and I think that's what needs to happen, for us to play our hearts out like it's our last one. That's what J.T. would do."

Again for those that visit this blog and would like to visit the special website for Jonathan Taylor here is it is again-
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/Johnathantaylor


Moving on to college basketball, things are shaping up better and better for teams on the bubble. ODU beat VCU on Monday, which was huge. Last night, Butler knocked off Milwaukee which also is a big relief-why you ask, because VCU and Milwaukee ONLY get to the dance if they win the conference tourney. ODU and Butler get in regardless. That saves two spots and that is good. Villanova lost to a HORRIBLE South Florida team, Nova has lost 5 straight and no team has ever made the tourney coming in off 5 straight losses-guess what, Nova will be the first because of their record against top competition, becasue they play in the best conference in the country, the Big East. The same reason most still consider UT a lock right now, out of conference schedule-RPI and SOS. It used to be the selection committee would look at how you finished your season to determine if you get it in, that is no longer supposed to be case. They are supposed to look at body of work-which is the ONLY thing saving Villanova and Tennessee at the moment. Here is the matrix bracket, I think this is the best one to look at. It lists all the projected brackets, then gives you an average, we are a 10 seed currently. Bama is first 4 out.

http://bracketproject.50webs.com/matrix.htm

 If you look at some of the teams that are behind us, if they were to fall off that helps us AND Bama. For example, if some of the following teams were to get beat early in conference tourneys, it really would help out chances-Michigan-they play Illinois first in the Big10, the Illini sit as a 9 while Michigan is an 11. St. Mary's is still in at a 12 seed despite the loss on Monday night to Gonzaga but they have scheduled a game for this Friday with Weber State-not a bad team and if they were to lose, that probably knocks them out. Course Boston College in the ACC along with VaTech and Clemson-we need to hope all three lose early there, even if that means pulling for GT over VT. Also need Colorado to lose early in their tourney. Michigan State is another bubble team but because of their past NCAA success, I feel like they will get in regardless of what happens.

As I have said before and will say again, we HAVE to beat Auburn tomorrow. If that happens, as it should, I think our odds are pretty good, even losing to Bama. IF we can beat both Alabama schools, we ARE in without a doubt. Auburn scares me though because they played us close the first time and are a very athletic team. They have some guys that can score, they are quick and they have NOTHING to lose. Their season is over when they lose next. In looking at Auburn, they have played much better the last couple weeks of the season. Since the loss to us, they are 3-4. Since we played them, we are 4-4 so not like we have been on fire down the stretch. They beat Miss State, beat Ole Miss and then LSU-not exactly murderers row there as we beat all those teams as well. But, they played Bama a TIGHT game in Tuscaloosa, if not for some questionable calls and late turnovers, Auburn beats those guys-Bama needed a last second tip in to win it. They lost to Arkansas by two points as well. They are led by Earnest Ross who had 30 against us the first game-we must do a better job on this guy he is by far their top performer. Andre Malone is also a good looking player, as is Kenny Gabriel and Frankie Sullivan. Last time we played AU, their starting center Rob Chubb didn't play so he is one to keep an eye on as he is about the same size as Trey Thompkins. Auburn plays a LOT of players so don't be surprised if they come out pressing us as we have struggled at times handling the press this season. They will also play aggressive-they have nothing to lose and they have a deep bench-they will make us earn everything we get. Like I say, this is a dangerous game and if we do not come ready to play, our tourney stay will be a short one. We need Jeremy Price and Gerald Robinson to play big in this game. Jeremy had a HUGE game against them last time, other than Chubb they don't have a lot of size so he should be able to be productive again. I fully expect Trey and Travis to play well, I also expect Dustin Ware will play a steady game-that is what he is, STEADY. He does not turn the ball over frequently and makes 45% of his three point shots. Like I say, JP and GR to me are the keys to victory because they are the two most inconsistent players we have that start. We will also need some production from the bench and I hope Coach Fox is NOT reluctant to use Brantley, Nolte, Thornton and Williams. I know he will use Barnes but those other guys need to get some minutes in this game because if we keep winning, our starters are going to need to catch their breath a little-not to mention if foul trouble strikes.

Here are some crucial stats to look at, back to GR-assists and turnovers-3.9 assists a game, 3.1 turnovers. Compare that to Dustin Ware-3.6 assists, 1.1 turnovers. Another one, this one due to teams sending doubles at him, Trey Thompkins 1.5 assists, 2.6 turnovers. You go back and look at the first time we played AU, turnovers, UGA 17, AU 9. Rebounds, UGA 56, AU 32. 3pt shooting, UGA 35% AU 50%, FT UGA 67% AU 35%. I think you can clearly see how and why AU was in the game, kept turnovers down and were hitting 3's, Earnest Ross being the key there hitting 5 of 7. Trey scored 16 points but he shot the ball horribly, 0-4 from 3pt line, 5-14 overall shooting. Again, JP had the huge game, including hitting 10-13 from the FT line, 6-9 from the floor and 14 rebounds. Gerald Robinson had a poor game (was in foul trouble most of the game), 7 pts, 4 turnovers, 4 assists, 0 rebounds, 1-3 from 3pt line, overall shooting 2-6. He needs to play MUCH better this time. For AU, it was basically Ross and more Ross. Two other scored in double figures but they didn't shoot the ball very well to get their points. Another thing to keep in mind here, UGA starters, 1 SR, 4 JR. AU, harder to nail down all starters but of top 8 players minutes wise, 2 JR, 4 Soph and 2 FR. I think you can see that we have a big experience advantage, we are playing for something important, we have more talent-we SHOULD win this game but Villanova sure should have beat South Florida last night and didn't.