Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Jason Peters Commits to Ga Tech
In recruiting news, Catholic High defensive end Jason Peters got tired of waiting on LSU's decision to offer him a regular scholarship or a grey shirt and committed to GA Tech Monday afternoon. Peters visited LSU last weekend and I was told he committed to LSU while on his visit, but after meeting with LSU coaches Monday morning Peters decided to accept a scholarship offer from GA Tech. I am very disappointed that Jason Peters is not going to be an LSU Tiger. I am also disappointed that I posted a short Sunday afternoon update saying that Peters had committed to LSU. It is my guess that Les Miles feels very good about his chances of signing defensive end Slidell Corey (6'4", 260) from Mobile McGill high school and that is why a full scholarship was not offered to Peters.
Coach O Given 2 Year Extension
In a sign of its commitment to Ed Orgeron, Mississippi will announce a two-year contract extension later today that takes the coach through 2010, a source close to the situation said early Tuesday.
Orgeron has been the coach at Ole Miss for two seasons after seven years as an assistant at USC, where he gained attention as one of the nation's top recruiters.
Mississippi was 3-8 in Orgeron's first season and 4-8 last year, ending the season with a 20-17 defeat of rival Mississippi State. After landing a strong recruiting class in his first season, Oregon currently has the 32nd ranked recruiting class of 2007, according to ESPN's Scouts, Inc.
Ole Miss currently has several key commitments, including from in-state linebacker Chris Strong and safety Johnny Brown. Orgeron also recently added veteran defensive coordinator John Thompson to his staff.
Orgeron has been the coach at Ole Miss for two seasons after seven years as an assistant at USC, where he gained attention as one of the nation's top recruiters.
Mississippi was 3-8 in Orgeron's first season and 4-8 last year, ending the season with a 20-17 defeat of rival Mississippi State. After landing a strong recruiting class in his first season, Oregon currently has the 32nd ranked recruiting class of 2007, according to ESPN's Scouts, Inc.
Ole Miss currently has several key commitments, including from in-state linebacker Chris Strong and safety Johnny Brown. Orgeron also recently added veteran defensive coordinator John Thompson to his staff.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Shilling to Pitch in 2008
Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling said this morning on Boston sports radio station WEEI that he will not retire from baseball at the end of this season, as he previously had planned, and that he is in discussions with the Red Sox on a contract extension for 2008.
"I will play in 2008," were the words 40-year-old Curt Schilling told Red Sox Nation this morning.His contract with the Red Sox ends after this season.
"Where I'm going to play beyond 2007, I hope it's Boston, but I will go out and find a home to pitch,” he said. “I hope it's here but there's also that possibility [of pitching for another team]."
Would he consider pitching for the Yankees in 2008?
"It wouldn't be in New York,” Schilling told host Gerry Callahan. “No. I could not make that move."
Schilling said that he is talking about an extension with the Red Sox.
“I'm in discussions with the Red Sox, we had talked last week and there's a lot going on obviously right now, but where I'm going to play beyond 2007 ... I hope it's Boston,” he said . “This is where I want to play and in the days leading up to spring training we'll figure it out one way or the other. If I go into this season without a contract from the Red Sox then I will go out and find a home for 2008."
When asked if the negotiations with the Red Sox will go only through the end of spring training, Schilling said, "Well, probably not even then. We're set to talk here again this week and we'll talk probably in the days leading up to spring training, but there's so much going on this year here from the team standpoint that I've never been comfortable dragging stuff like this into the season ... and I wouldn't do that this year either."
Red Sox owner John Henry said Schilling's announcement was great news for the team.
"It was something that has been in the back of my mind for the last year," Henry told The Associated Press in an e-mail. "He's such a competitor you had to figure that if he is healthy, pitching well and still has that fire, it would make sense for him to continue. He's still one of the elite pitchers in all of baseball."
The talk radio circuit had been humming recently in support of a possible Schilling run for John Kerry's seat in the U.S. Senate in 2008, but that appears to be out of the realm of possibility with today’s news.
Schilling said his family played a big part in his decision not to hang ‘em up after this season.
"Over the last probably five to six months my wife and kids and I have been talking, and we came to conclusion about a week or 10 days ago that I was not going to retire in 2007," said Schilling. "I always believed physically I was going to be more than OK; I feel like last year, while I certainly didn't have a year like I know I could have, towards the end I became a lot healthier ...
“My wife and kids want me to continue to play, which was the only reason I was really retiring in the first place, and they talked me into it ... I was convinced [about retiring] and my family was abiding by that decision [to retire], and they talked me out of it, so I will be playing in 2008."
"The thing that scared me most about this was the fact that maybe I'm just not as fun to be around at home as I thought I was,” Schilling joked. “But it was all on them. If they had even hinted at being uncomfortable with me playing beyond 2007, I wouldn't. I would have walked away thankful to the Lord and everything for the opportunities I had been given and the experiences I've had, but they want to stay in the life and they want to continue to have this as part of our life so we're going to play through this season and we're going to play again in 2008 and beyond.”
Schilling was 15-7 with a 3.97 ERA last season, his third in a Red Sox uniform.
More thoughts from Schilling during this morning’s interview on WEEI:
* Would he ever consider a deal for less than a full season, a la Roger Clemens?:"At some point, sure. Maybe down the road, yeah, but knock on wood, I think I'm a long way from that. ... I want to pitch Opening Day because I deserve to be the Opening Day starter, not because it's what they think is right. I want to be the No. 1 guy on this staff, and that's going to take some effort given the staff we've put together this year."
* What about pitching beyond 2008?:"We'll see what happens. Again, this is not going to be a topic that I want to go back and forth and discuss and have it be a distraction either for myself or for my teammates and my family or the organization. So, I don't have any plans to retire anytime soon."
* Why isn’t it just a simple matter of the Sox re-upping his contract for one more season?: "I had hoped it was that simple, it's just not. As much as we like to think things can be taken care of easily and quickly, this is a business and I understand that. I think I've earned the right to get a contract for the 2008 season from this team before we go to the season and if that's not in the cards I totally understand that. I certainly would be disappointed if that were the case, but I think I'll be good enough to get a job at some point with someone elsewhere."
* Does Schilling think the Red Sox want to see how he looks this season before committing to a contract for 2008?: "Yeah, but, you know, I guess that would be the case for every player in the game, as far as contracts are concerned. Who wouldn't want to wait to see how somebody looks and does before they signed him to a contract for a following year but again, I think I've earned the right to at least, if it's going to be here, to get that situation settled before the season starts."
* On Boston’s potential acquisition of Todd Helton: "I will tell you honestly. In the 17-18 years I've been in the big leagues, including Barry Bonds, there is no hitter in the game I've disliked facing more than Todd Helton. Not even a close second. He was the hardest at-bat I've ever had every time I faced him. No holes and can do some things at the plate that will just blow you away. … Coors Field didn't make him who he was. He was an incredible grind for an at-bat. Every at-bat. And I got to know him a little bit, we did a thing at the White House together and I got to meet him and talk to him and he's that quintessential … I know it's an old cliché, but he's that gamer. It's an old cliché, but it's so apropos for him. He is a phenomenal competitor and offensively, I look at this lineup, and you plug Todd Helton in there and my God, it gets absolutely scary to think about having to face this lineup."
* A little political talk from Schilling:"Given the Q&A last week from the media on me about the Senator thing, and all the other stuff that was going on, some questions were being asked about potentially running in 2008, although I will say I do have a lot more respect for Joe Lieberman today, but you know the ironic thing about that whole situation is, when you read through that, isn't it amazing how hard it is for someone just to say they're gonna vote for the right guy instead of the party? And as far as Hillary Clinton goes, I just want her to keep talking. Amazing. I just cringe every time I hear someone with a voice in the political scene talking out against the war. I'm not for it. No one's for it, but I just feel like, especially someone like Hillary, who has to know that those comments have serious implications overseas for the men and women of the United States armed forces, and it scares the hell out of me."
Schilling also told the station he would throw his support behind Arizona Sen. John McCain for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, rather than former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney
"I will play in 2008," were the words 40-year-old Curt Schilling told Red Sox Nation this morning.His contract with the Red Sox ends after this season.
"Where I'm going to play beyond 2007, I hope it's Boston, but I will go out and find a home to pitch,” he said. “I hope it's here but there's also that possibility [of pitching for another team]."
Would he consider pitching for the Yankees in 2008?
"It wouldn't be in New York,” Schilling told host Gerry Callahan. “No. I could not make that move."
Schilling said that he is talking about an extension with the Red Sox.
“I'm in discussions with the Red Sox, we had talked last week and there's a lot going on obviously right now, but where I'm going to play beyond 2007 ... I hope it's Boston,” he said . “This is where I want to play and in the days leading up to spring training we'll figure it out one way or the other. If I go into this season without a contract from the Red Sox then I will go out and find a home for 2008."
When asked if the negotiations with the Red Sox will go only through the end of spring training, Schilling said, "Well, probably not even then. We're set to talk here again this week and we'll talk probably in the days leading up to spring training, but there's so much going on this year here from the team standpoint that I've never been comfortable dragging stuff like this into the season ... and I wouldn't do that this year either."
Red Sox owner John Henry said Schilling's announcement was great news for the team.
"It was something that has been in the back of my mind for the last year," Henry told The Associated Press in an e-mail. "He's such a competitor you had to figure that if he is healthy, pitching well and still has that fire, it would make sense for him to continue. He's still one of the elite pitchers in all of baseball."
The talk radio circuit had been humming recently in support of a possible Schilling run for John Kerry's seat in the U.S. Senate in 2008, but that appears to be out of the realm of possibility with today’s news.
Schilling said his family played a big part in his decision not to hang ‘em up after this season.
"Over the last probably five to six months my wife and kids and I have been talking, and we came to conclusion about a week or 10 days ago that I was not going to retire in 2007," said Schilling. "I always believed physically I was going to be more than OK; I feel like last year, while I certainly didn't have a year like I know I could have, towards the end I became a lot healthier ...
“My wife and kids want me to continue to play, which was the only reason I was really retiring in the first place, and they talked me into it ... I was convinced [about retiring] and my family was abiding by that decision [to retire], and they talked me out of it, so I will be playing in 2008."
"The thing that scared me most about this was the fact that maybe I'm just not as fun to be around at home as I thought I was,” Schilling joked. “But it was all on them. If they had even hinted at being uncomfortable with me playing beyond 2007, I wouldn't. I would have walked away thankful to the Lord and everything for the opportunities I had been given and the experiences I've had, but they want to stay in the life and they want to continue to have this as part of our life so we're going to play through this season and we're going to play again in 2008 and beyond.”
Schilling was 15-7 with a 3.97 ERA last season, his third in a Red Sox uniform.
More thoughts from Schilling during this morning’s interview on WEEI:
* Would he ever consider a deal for less than a full season, a la Roger Clemens?:"At some point, sure. Maybe down the road, yeah, but knock on wood, I think I'm a long way from that. ... I want to pitch Opening Day because I deserve to be the Opening Day starter, not because it's what they think is right. I want to be the No. 1 guy on this staff, and that's going to take some effort given the staff we've put together this year."
* What about pitching beyond 2008?:"We'll see what happens. Again, this is not going to be a topic that I want to go back and forth and discuss and have it be a distraction either for myself or for my teammates and my family or the organization. So, I don't have any plans to retire anytime soon."
* Why isn’t it just a simple matter of the Sox re-upping his contract for one more season?: "I had hoped it was that simple, it's just not. As much as we like to think things can be taken care of easily and quickly, this is a business and I understand that. I think I've earned the right to get a contract for the 2008 season from this team before we go to the season and if that's not in the cards I totally understand that. I certainly would be disappointed if that were the case, but I think I'll be good enough to get a job at some point with someone elsewhere."
* Does Schilling think the Red Sox want to see how he looks this season before committing to a contract for 2008?: "Yeah, but, you know, I guess that would be the case for every player in the game, as far as contracts are concerned. Who wouldn't want to wait to see how somebody looks and does before they signed him to a contract for a following year but again, I think I've earned the right to at least, if it's going to be here, to get that situation settled before the season starts."
* On Boston’s potential acquisition of Todd Helton: "I will tell you honestly. In the 17-18 years I've been in the big leagues, including Barry Bonds, there is no hitter in the game I've disliked facing more than Todd Helton. Not even a close second. He was the hardest at-bat I've ever had every time I faced him. No holes and can do some things at the plate that will just blow you away. … Coors Field didn't make him who he was. He was an incredible grind for an at-bat. Every at-bat. And I got to know him a little bit, we did a thing at the White House together and I got to meet him and talk to him and he's that quintessential … I know it's an old cliché, but he's that gamer. It's an old cliché, but it's so apropos for him. He is a phenomenal competitor and offensively, I look at this lineup, and you plug Todd Helton in there and my God, it gets absolutely scary to think about having to face this lineup."
* A little political talk from Schilling:"Given the Q&A last week from the media on me about the Senator thing, and all the other stuff that was going on, some questions were being asked about potentially running in 2008, although I will say I do have a lot more respect for Joe Lieberman today, but you know the ironic thing about that whole situation is, when you read through that, isn't it amazing how hard it is for someone just to say they're gonna vote for the right guy instead of the party? And as far as Hillary Clinton goes, I just want her to keep talking. Amazing. I just cringe every time I hear someone with a voice in the political scene talking out against the war. I'm not for it. No one's for it, but I just feel like, especially someone like Hillary, who has to know that those comments have serious implications overseas for the men and women of the United States armed forces, and it scares the hell out of me."
Schilling also told the station he would throw his support behind Arizona Sen. John McCain for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, rather than former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney
Recruiting news from Dandy Don
I hope this week is a great one for all Tiger fans, especially Coach Les Miles as he tries to wrap up this year's recruiting class. Miles and his staff entertained nine propsects over the weekend including five uncommitted players. It is my understanding that Joe McKnight, Chad Jones and Jason Peters had great visits and that Jason Peters did commit but it might be a few days before details of his commitment are announced. I think it will probably be a day or two before signing day, which is a week from Wednesday, before McKnight and Jones make their intentions known. I am hoping that Jones and McKnight will not take anymore recruiting trips. I have also been told that Sam Proctor, (QB/DB) from Pearland, Texas, was not offered a scholarship and I think that is a good sign that Les Miles feels very good about signing Christian Scott. I have not been able to get any information on offensive lineman Rishaw Johnson who was also on his official visit to LSU this past weekend. The word out of FSU is that Steffon Francois had a great visit and will not make his decision known until signing day. Fracois will chose between LSU, FSU, Tennessee and Arkansas. If Francois wants to play for the best defensive coordinator in the nation (Bo Pelini), he will sign with LSU. A new name on LSU's recruiting list is Sidell Corey, a 6'4", 260, DE who is the teammate of LSU commitment Phelon Jones from Mobile McGill high school. Corey was committed to Florida for a couple months but decommitted last Thursday. Corley is also good friends with JaMarcus Russell and Chevis Jackson. The highly touted defensive end will visit LSU this coming weekend, February 03-04. In other recruiting news of interest, Luther Davis visited LA Tech this past weekend. Word out of West Monroe is that Davis does not have the GPA or the ACT score to enroll at a division 1-A school. Davis might be considering signing with a school closer to home and sitting out a year. Who knows?
Fowles Freethrow Sink Auburn
A couple of possessions were all that stood between the LSU women’s basketball team and blowing Auburn out of the Pete Maravich Assembly Center midway through Sunday’s Southeastern Conference game.
With the Lady Tigers holding an 18-point lead, All-American center Sylvia Fowles misfired on several attempts from point-blank range, looking skyward in disgust.
Not to worry, though.
Instead of Fowles putting Auburn away from within five feet of the basket, the 6-foot-6 junior did so 15 feet away with solid free-throw shooting that helped push eight-ranked LSU on a late run and carry the Lady Tigers to 65-45 victory before a crowd of 5,362.
“We’ve put a lot of focus on that,” Fowles said of free-throw shooting. “We know it’s going to happen and we’ve got to make free throws.”
Fowles and Ashley Thomas combined to make 7-of-8 foul shots to ignite the key 11-0 surge that enabled LSU to pull away from Auburn (15-7, 2-4), which had closed to within 10 points (47-37) with 7:01 to play.
“It was 18 (point lead) and it was time to put your foot on the back of their neck if you can and we did not,” LSU women’s coach Pokey Chatman said. “I credit Auburn with their ability to claw and scrap. But it was nice to see once the lead got down we were able to re-establish ourselves on both ends of the floor at the same time.”
LSU (20-2, 6-1) distanced itself enough to run its homecourt win streak to 42 games — the nation’s best. The Lady Tigers also moved into sole possession of second place in the SEC after Mississippi State upset No. 22 Ole Miss, 73-71.
“The free throws really hurt us and our lack of being able to shoot a free throw hurt us also,” Auburn women’s coach Nell Fortner said. “If we could have kept them off the line we might have been able to keep it a little closer, but we just couldn’t get much of an offensive flow going and that was the hardest thing for us.”
Success at the free-throw line was just a part of Fowles’ ninth consecutive double-double, 15th of the season and 50th of her career.
Fowles left with 3:21 to play and LSU holding a 60-39 lead after making a pair of free throws — capping a 9-of-12 effort for someone shooting 64 percent for the season. She also came within two rebounds of matching her career high, pulling down 20 — split evenly between offense and defense.
“Those chippies I missed, I should have made,” said Fowles, noting her 5-of-13 shooting from the field. “It could have been better. I should have knocked down more shots and eventually that’s going to happen.”
Chatman simply applauded Fowles’ attack-mentality on the boards, allowing LSU to hold a 43-33 advantage and score 13 second-chance points.
“I liked Sylvia’s effort,” Chatman said. “It was obviously more aggressive from the beginning, in the middle and toward the end. The difference is that she missed the chippies, but she rebounded them. She didn’t hang her head and was active defensively.”
LSU surrounded Fowles’ production with good balance with junior Quianna Chaney scoring 17 points — 10 coming after halftime — and Thomas reaching 11 points for the second straight game. She added five rebounds and four steals.
“That’s nice to see,” Chatman said of her team’s scoring balance. “It’s a matter of taking what the defense gives you sometimes and taking what you’re capable of earning. That’s the intelligent part of running offense.”
LSU’s 11-0 surge — which lasted nearly three minutes — culminated on Chaney’s hook shot in the lane for a 58-37 advantage with 3:56 to go. The Lady Tigers went on to lead by as many as 22 points, the last time at 65-43 with 30.5 seconds left on Kristen Morris’ lay-up.
Once again LSU’s defense was up to its usual standard, limiting Auburn to 18 first-half points (a 30-18 halftime lead), a season-low final point total and 33 percent shooting. The opposition, which was led by guard Whitney Boddie’s 14 points, had its three leading scorers held under their season’s average, with forward DeWanna Bonner — the league’s fifth-leading scorer at 16 points, equaling her season-low of six points on 2-of-7 shooting.
“In the team concept I thought we did a real good job of defending Auburn,” Chatman said. “We wanted to be a bit more aggressive on the glass and I thought we did a good job there and our ability to take care of the basketball.”
Notes
LSU defeated Auburn for seventh time in their last eight meetings. … LSU held an opponent to 20 points or less in the opening half for the 14th time this season. … LSU returns home Feb. 1 to face Florida at 8 p.m.
With the Lady Tigers holding an 18-point lead, All-American center Sylvia Fowles misfired on several attempts from point-blank range, looking skyward in disgust.
Not to worry, though.
Instead of Fowles putting Auburn away from within five feet of the basket, the 6-foot-6 junior did so 15 feet away with solid free-throw shooting that helped push eight-ranked LSU on a late run and carry the Lady Tigers to 65-45 victory before a crowd of 5,362.
“We’ve put a lot of focus on that,” Fowles said of free-throw shooting. “We know it’s going to happen and we’ve got to make free throws.”
Fowles and Ashley Thomas combined to make 7-of-8 foul shots to ignite the key 11-0 surge that enabled LSU to pull away from Auburn (15-7, 2-4), which had closed to within 10 points (47-37) with 7:01 to play.
“It was 18 (point lead) and it was time to put your foot on the back of their neck if you can and we did not,” LSU women’s coach Pokey Chatman said. “I credit Auburn with their ability to claw and scrap. But it was nice to see once the lead got down we were able to re-establish ourselves on both ends of the floor at the same time.”
LSU (20-2, 6-1) distanced itself enough to run its homecourt win streak to 42 games — the nation’s best. The Lady Tigers also moved into sole possession of second place in the SEC after Mississippi State upset No. 22 Ole Miss, 73-71.
“The free throws really hurt us and our lack of being able to shoot a free throw hurt us also,” Auburn women’s coach Nell Fortner said. “If we could have kept them off the line we might have been able to keep it a little closer, but we just couldn’t get much of an offensive flow going and that was the hardest thing for us.”
Success at the free-throw line was just a part of Fowles’ ninth consecutive double-double, 15th of the season and 50th of her career.
Fowles left with 3:21 to play and LSU holding a 60-39 lead after making a pair of free throws — capping a 9-of-12 effort for someone shooting 64 percent for the season. She also came within two rebounds of matching her career high, pulling down 20 — split evenly between offense and defense.
“Those chippies I missed, I should have made,” said Fowles, noting her 5-of-13 shooting from the field. “It could have been better. I should have knocked down more shots and eventually that’s going to happen.”
Chatman simply applauded Fowles’ attack-mentality on the boards, allowing LSU to hold a 43-33 advantage and score 13 second-chance points.
“I liked Sylvia’s effort,” Chatman said. “It was obviously more aggressive from the beginning, in the middle and toward the end. The difference is that she missed the chippies, but she rebounded them. She didn’t hang her head and was active defensively.”
LSU surrounded Fowles’ production with good balance with junior Quianna Chaney scoring 17 points — 10 coming after halftime — and Thomas reaching 11 points for the second straight game. She added five rebounds and four steals.
“That’s nice to see,” Chatman said of her team’s scoring balance. “It’s a matter of taking what the defense gives you sometimes and taking what you’re capable of earning. That’s the intelligent part of running offense.”
LSU’s 11-0 surge — which lasted nearly three minutes — culminated on Chaney’s hook shot in the lane for a 58-37 advantage with 3:56 to go. The Lady Tigers went on to lead by as many as 22 points, the last time at 65-43 with 30.5 seconds left on Kristen Morris’ lay-up.
Once again LSU’s defense was up to its usual standard, limiting Auburn to 18 first-half points (a 30-18 halftime lead), a season-low final point total and 33 percent shooting. The opposition, which was led by guard Whitney Boddie’s 14 points, had its three leading scorers held under their season’s average, with forward DeWanna Bonner — the league’s fifth-leading scorer at 16 points, equaling her season-low of six points on 2-of-7 shooting.
“In the team concept I thought we did a real good job of defending Auburn,” Chatman said. “We wanted to be a bit more aggressive on the glass and I thought we did a good job there and our ability to take care of the basketball.”
Notes
LSU defeated Auburn for seventh time in their last eight meetings. … LSU held an opponent to 20 points or less in the opening half for the 14th time this season. … LSU returns home Feb. 1 to face Florida at 8 p.m.
Georgia Sinks Tigers at the Buzzer
ATHENS, Ga. — In a game where the margin for error was ever so slender, LSU needed one more … something.
One more shot to fall. One more defensive stop. One more rebound. One more anything.
Instead, it was Georgia that came up with one more something when it mattered. As a result, the Tigers’ margin for error the rest of this season shrunk a little more.
Levi Stukes rifled in a 23-foot jump shot with less than a second left Sunday, propelling the Bulldogs to a 57-54 triumph over LSU. The 3-pointer was Georgia’s eighth of the second half compared to only one made shot from inside the arc.
The Bulldogs (13-6, 5-2 SEC) got the ball with 33 seconds left after LSU’s Glen Davis was unable to drop in a contested left-handed jump hook from 4 feet away.
Following a timeout by each coach and a non-shooting foul on the Tigers, Georgia point guard Sundiata Gaines gathered in the inbounds pass in backcourt and dribbled toward the top of the key.
With Garrett Temple blanketing Gaines, he looked for somewhere to pass and found Mercer on the left wing.
Tasmin Mitchell had been jersey-to-jersey with the Bulldogs’ best outside shooter but suddenly broke away and joined Temple in a double team on Gaines.
Left wide open, Mercer caught the pass and uncorked a shot that nestled through the net, triggering a wild celebration. Officials reviewed the clock and put .6 of a second back, but Georgia deflected LSU’s inbounds pass to eat up the final time.
“Coach ordered the play and told me to stay on that wing,” said Stukes, who led Georgia with 16 points and buried 4-of-8 3-pointers. “(Gaines) laughed and said he was going to take the pull-up, 3-point shot as soon as the time ran off. I kind of laughed and said, ‘Just remember that I’m over here.’ Him being a great point guard, he found me again and I was able to hit the shot.”
There appeared to be some miscommunication between the Tigers and their bench on the final sequence and that breakdown proved costly.
“Coach was calling for me to come and double-team, and that’s what I did,” Mitchell said. “The way he was (waving) me to him, I felt like I had to come out.”
LSU coach John Brady said he wanted Mitchell to slide over and help Temple if Gaines began to penetrate, but not at the expense of leaving Stukes so open.
But Brady, who was left groping for answers after his team’s first three-game losing streak since 2004, also quickly and correctly pointed out that Stukes’ final dagger wasn’t the only deciding factor in the game.
Equally as big and costly were a series of offensive blunders down the stretch after an otherwise improved performance on that end of the floor.
A six-point run allowed LSU (13-7, 2-4) to creep in front 49-43 with 8:37 to go when Magnum Rolle drove the baseline for a bank shot. Instead of going for the knockout blow, however, the Tigers began a slow unraveling.
Over their final 11 offensive possessions, LSU managed only five points — none over the final 5:01 and only one field-goal attempt in the closing 3:28.
Davis, who finished with 18 points, 14 rebounds and a career-high six assists (all in the first half), scored his last points on a 3-pointer at the 6:32 juncture and Darnell Lazare produced the Tigers’ last damage on a slam-dunk when he snuck behind the Georgia defense at 5:01.
From there, Temple was off the mark on a wide-open 3-pointer, Davis had to force up a 3 to beat the clock, Mitchell fell down in front of the LSU bench and lost the ball out of bounds and Gaines poked the ball away from Temple as he made his way upcourt on a fast break after a steal.
Those four empty possessions and Davis’ short miss left the door wide open for the Bulldogs.
Georgia knotted the score 54-54 on Mike Mercer’s follow dunk — the Bulldogs’ only two-point field goal of the half — after Mercer missed a 3 and Gaines missed a follow shot on the same possession. Georgia beat LSU 40-34 on the backboards and snagged 16 offensive rebounds.
“We had four or five possessions at the end of the game where we had an opportunity to score and it didn’t work,” Brady said. “They made shots when they needed to. I thought we put ourselves in a position to win the game.”
In fact, the Tigers were poised to blow the Bulldogs out of the arena in the first half but went cold from the field.
LSU came out clicking offensively — a rarity this season — and built a 19-7 cushion by hitting seven of its first 14 floor shots. Davis fed teammates on five of those makes, including the first four Tigers field goals of the game.
But after Mitchell popped an 18-foot jumper at the 12:56 mark, LSU fell out of rhythm and made just one floor shot over the ensuing 8:41. That paved the way for a 14-3 Bulldog lunge that turned a 21-9 LSU advantage into 24-23.
Terry Martin gave LSU a spark right before halftime with two 3-pointers that led to a 32-29 lead. But the second half become a back-and-forth battle of defensive wills that the Bulldogs won by getting hot from long range.
Georgia was only 3-for-11 from 3-point territory in the first 20 minutes but pumped in eight 3s in 15 attempts in the second half — three from Stukes. The Bulldogs finished the day hitting 42.3 percent from 3-point range (11-of-26) and only 28.1 percent (9-of-32) from inside the arc.
One more shot to fall. One more defensive stop. One more rebound. One more anything.
Instead, it was Georgia that came up with one more something when it mattered. As a result, the Tigers’ margin for error the rest of this season shrunk a little more.
Levi Stukes rifled in a 23-foot jump shot with less than a second left Sunday, propelling the Bulldogs to a 57-54 triumph over LSU. The 3-pointer was Georgia’s eighth of the second half compared to only one made shot from inside the arc.
The Bulldogs (13-6, 5-2 SEC) got the ball with 33 seconds left after LSU’s Glen Davis was unable to drop in a contested left-handed jump hook from 4 feet away.
Following a timeout by each coach and a non-shooting foul on the Tigers, Georgia point guard Sundiata Gaines gathered in the inbounds pass in backcourt and dribbled toward the top of the key.
With Garrett Temple blanketing Gaines, he looked for somewhere to pass and found Mercer on the left wing.
Tasmin Mitchell had been jersey-to-jersey with the Bulldogs’ best outside shooter but suddenly broke away and joined Temple in a double team on Gaines.
Left wide open, Mercer caught the pass and uncorked a shot that nestled through the net, triggering a wild celebration. Officials reviewed the clock and put .6 of a second back, but Georgia deflected LSU’s inbounds pass to eat up the final time.
“Coach ordered the play and told me to stay on that wing,” said Stukes, who led Georgia with 16 points and buried 4-of-8 3-pointers. “(Gaines) laughed and said he was going to take the pull-up, 3-point shot as soon as the time ran off. I kind of laughed and said, ‘Just remember that I’m over here.’ Him being a great point guard, he found me again and I was able to hit the shot.”
There appeared to be some miscommunication between the Tigers and their bench on the final sequence and that breakdown proved costly.
“Coach was calling for me to come and double-team, and that’s what I did,” Mitchell said. “The way he was (waving) me to him, I felt like I had to come out.”
LSU coach John Brady said he wanted Mitchell to slide over and help Temple if Gaines began to penetrate, but not at the expense of leaving Stukes so open.
But Brady, who was left groping for answers after his team’s first three-game losing streak since 2004, also quickly and correctly pointed out that Stukes’ final dagger wasn’t the only deciding factor in the game.
Equally as big and costly were a series of offensive blunders down the stretch after an otherwise improved performance on that end of the floor.
A six-point run allowed LSU (13-7, 2-4) to creep in front 49-43 with 8:37 to go when Magnum Rolle drove the baseline for a bank shot. Instead of going for the knockout blow, however, the Tigers began a slow unraveling.
Over their final 11 offensive possessions, LSU managed only five points — none over the final 5:01 and only one field-goal attempt in the closing 3:28.
Davis, who finished with 18 points, 14 rebounds and a career-high six assists (all in the first half), scored his last points on a 3-pointer at the 6:32 juncture and Darnell Lazare produced the Tigers’ last damage on a slam-dunk when he snuck behind the Georgia defense at 5:01.
From there, Temple was off the mark on a wide-open 3-pointer, Davis had to force up a 3 to beat the clock, Mitchell fell down in front of the LSU bench and lost the ball out of bounds and Gaines poked the ball away from Temple as he made his way upcourt on a fast break after a steal.
Those four empty possessions and Davis’ short miss left the door wide open for the Bulldogs.
Georgia knotted the score 54-54 on Mike Mercer’s follow dunk — the Bulldogs’ only two-point field goal of the half — after Mercer missed a 3 and Gaines missed a follow shot on the same possession. Georgia beat LSU 40-34 on the backboards and snagged 16 offensive rebounds.
“We had four or five possessions at the end of the game where we had an opportunity to score and it didn’t work,” Brady said. “They made shots when they needed to. I thought we put ourselves in a position to win the game.”
In fact, the Tigers were poised to blow the Bulldogs out of the arena in the first half but went cold from the field.
LSU came out clicking offensively — a rarity this season — and built a 19-7 cushion by hitting seven of its first 14 floor shots. Davis fed teammates on five of those makes, including the first four Tigers field goals of the game.
But after Mitchell popped an 18-foot jumper at the 12:56 mark, LSU fell out of rhythm and made just one floor shot over the ensuing 8:41. That paved the way for a 14-3 Bulldog lunge that turned a 21-9 LSU advantage into 24-23.
Terry Martin gave LSU a spark right before halftime with two 3-pointers that led to a 32-29 lead. But the second half become a back-and-forth battle of defensive wills that the Bulldogs won by getting hot from long range.
Georgia was only 3-for-11 from 3-point territory in the first 20 minutes but pumped in eight 3s in 15 attempts in the second half — three from Stukes. The Bulldogs finished the day hitting 42.3 percent from 3-point range (11-of-26) and only 28.1 percent (9-of-32) from inside the arc.
Rebels Storm Back but Fall Short at Vandy
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Clutch foul shooting down the stretch helped Vanderbilt hold off a furious second-half Ole Miss rally as the Commodores prevailed 85-80 Saturday.
Vanderbilt (15-6, 5-2) hit seven-of-eight free throws in the game's final 2:22. Derrick Byars scored 19 points and three other Commodore players scored in double figures.
Ole Miss had six players score in double-figures, led by Bam Doyne's 22. Fifteen of Doynes' points game in the second half.
The Commodores jumped out to a 44-29 halftime lead, and led the entire way with the exception of a brief 4-2 Rebel advantage. Nine Commodores hit field goals, and Vandy shot 63 percent as a team during the half.
But Ole Miss (13-8, 2-5) stormed out of the locker room, scoring 31 points in the half's first 9:27, and took the lead when Clarence Sanders' 3 from the left corner gave the Rebels a 61-60 lead.
The game would stay tight the rest of the way.
Vandy took a 76-72 lead on Byars' layup from Ross Neltner, but back-to-back baskets by the Rebels' Todd Abernethy and Bam Doyne tied the game.
But Neltner hit both ends of a one-and-one at the 2:22 mark, and Vandy never trailed again.
Dan Cage (18 points), Shan Foster (14) and Neltner (10) helped Byars shoulder the scoring burden.
The four straight Southeastern Conference wins represent the longest streak by a Vandy team since the 1996-97 team won five in a row.
Ole Miss returns home to face rival Mississippi State in an ESPN "Super Tuesday" battle. Game time is set for 6 p.m. CT, and a Rebel pep rally will be held outside Tad Smith Coliseum at 5:15.
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