Welcome to the Bulldawg Illustrated Hoops Report: Georgia vs St. Mary’s. It’s like trying to recover from jet lag. Which is what the Dawgs are trying to do now after flying west to take on St. Mary’s in the second round of the National Invitational Tournament.
 
 
The Dawgs survived a scare against Belmont but held on to win 93-84. They weren’t as sharp as they’ll need to be Sunday night at 7:30 p.m. versus the Gaels. However, we all know it’s mentally tough to get up for a NIT game when you’ve been shunned from the Big Dance. Just ask Belmont about that. Plus, the Dawgs figured it would be embarrassing to lose to a team led by a guy with a haircut that looked like he belonged in an 80s alternative rock band. So we turned to Yante Maten to make sure that things turned out in the Dawgs favor. Maten poured in 33 on 14-17 from the floor and 3-3 from the three point line. I know it was a career high in points and believe it must have been a career high in made threes as well. Charles Mann also had one of his best games ever. Mann had 23 points, four assists and ZERO turnovers. He was also a respectable 9-12 from the FT line. JJ Frazier and Kenny Gaines chipped in with 16 and 12 respectively. It was definitely one of the best team efforts offensively all year. While we did give up too many points, don’t forget Belmont shot 37 threes. That’s their game. They made just enough to hang around and keep it close. But when Yante pulled down a rebound late, went coast to coast himself, and dropped the hammer Annie Lennox’s band made, the Sweet Dreams for Belmont were over.
 
 
Now onto St. Mary’s. They are a really good team that statistically has the second best backcourt in the country in assist to turnover ratio. They’re behind only Michigan State who was bounced by Middle Tennessee State on Friday, if that means anything. So JJ, Gaines and Mann will need to play at a very high level in back to back games. That’s something Mann and Gaines have struggled to do this year. That said, I did see a new Charles Mann Wednesday. Why it took so late for this version to emerge I have no idea. But he was in charge of them. He was barking orders to his teammates and they were listening. Mike Edwards made a costly turnover late and Mann admonished him. Not in a way to belittle, but to let him know he was better than that. And if he wanted to stay on the floor, don’t do it again. It was truly “His Team”. And while Yante got all the press, Mann was the glue that kept things together when Belmont made a late push. I don’t know where that leadership has been all year. Maybe it was there but his teammates weren’t responding. But it was needed and it was refreshing. It’s just one more shoulda, woulda, coulda to add to this year. But let’s hope it continues just a little bit longer.
 
 
So while brackets are getting busted and the eyes of the college hoops world are on the NCAA Tourney, our Dawgs are doing a little two-step of their own in CA Sunday night at 7:30 p.m. It’s going to be a tough game to win due the level of competition and the extended travel. Plus, in recent history the second round of the NIT hasn’t been kind to our Dawgs with the latest loss being to La. Tech two years ago in Athens. But I assure you that I’ll be glued to the TV. Hope you are too. I know I care way too much about UGA Hoops. But just like any other vice I’ve had in my life, I need more. So let’s find a way to win and advance. Go Dawgs!