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Georgia Bulldogs: Fox And Company Flail In Columbia

By W. M. Lawson

ATHENS, GA - FEBRUARY 17: Head coach Mark Fox of the Georgia Bulldogs looks on in frustration during an extended stoppage in play while officials work on the game clock during the Bulldogs' basketball game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Stegeman Coliseum on February 17, 2018 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Comer/Getty Images)
ATHENS, GA - FEBRUARY 17: Head coach Mark Fox of the Georgia Bulldogs looks on in frustration during an extended stoppage in play while officials work on the game clock during the Bulldogs' basketball game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Stegeman Coliseum on February 17, 2018 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Comer/Getty Images) /
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The Georgia Bulldogs Men’s Basketball team traveled to South Carolina last night for a must win game. They lost and, most likely, lost any hope of an NCAA bid.

Things are getting a little rough in the media for Georgia Bulldogs Men’s Basketball Coach Mark Fox. By all accounts an affable figure, and one who has been a steady hand who runs a clean program in Athens, Fox is in his 9th year. But that media attention won’t go away soon, as the Bulldogs lost to South Carolina last night, and ensured another losing season in the SEC.

Let’s be clear about this. Coach Fox is a good basketball coach, and seems to have been a good steward of the UGA basketball program after the deleterious Dennis Felton. If Georgia decides to give Fox another year, or more, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. It could be a lot worse.

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The problem is that, if they do that, it is becoming incredibly obvious that it won’t be much better, either. Much focus, here, and other places, has centered on the 2 NCAA Tournament appearances in 9 years. Yes, that is less than ideal.

But last night’s loss to SC is a microcosm of why folks in and around the program are frustrated. UGA had 5 travels called in the first 9 minutes. Five travels. UGA had 17 Turnovers in this game. 17!

If you just look at the box score, and were to see that Carolina shot under 31% from the field, you’d wonder how they won the game. That’s why. 17 Turnovers. That and UGA was worse going 8 of 24 from the field in the first half with 10 Turnovers. In short, it was awful.

Then you can get into more esoteric and philosophical conversations about “offensive identity”, floor spacing, etc. Reality is a team this far into the year shouldn’t be open to those kind of questions. Especially in the 9th year of a Coach’s tenure.

Look. I’m not calling for Coach Fox to be fired. But I do believe we’ve seen the best it will get with him in Athens.

But folks who are calling for a new Coach aren’t like a “Tennessee Vols Twitter” response either, with mid-season firings, burning mattresses, petitions, etc. all in the 3rd or 4th year. Fox has been in Athens for 9 years. The record speaks loudly.

And that is where I’m at. Folks can focus on the NCAA number if they want. But the one that concerns me most is the SEC record. Last night’s loss ensured the 5th year, out of Fox’s nine in Athens, where his Dawgs didn’t have a winning record in conference.

Now, UGA isn’t exactly a basketball powerhouse, but one would think that is not good enough.

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But, maybe it is. We’ll see.

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