The Good, the Bad and the Ugly From Georgia's Heartbreaking Loss to LSU
Georgia basketball will have to wait a little while longer for its first conference win of the 2020 season.
The Bulldogs lost to LSU 94-92 in overtime Wednesday night. Georgia continues to show flashes of potential. It shot very well from beyond the arch, dominated on fast breaks and finished the game with 18 assists. Those are still just flashes because of untimely turnovers and fouls.
Here's the good, the bad and the ugly from Georgia's loss to LSU
The Good
Fast-break offense and defense
Fast breaks were a big reason why Georgia played LSU so close. The Bulldogs outscored the Tigers on fast breaks 24-0. Whenever Georgia forced a steal or grabbed a rebound going toward its goal, points were almost a guarantee.
Georgia ran the floor just as well the other way. The Bulldogs played great transition defense to prevent LSU from making fast breaks. Whenever the Tigers looked like they might have a fast-break layup developing, Georgia forced ball handlers to check up and play in the half court.
Justin Kier's big night
Kier was electric Wednesday night, scoring 25 points and draining six three-point attempts. When Georgia needed a big play, Kier usually delivered. He scored 11 points on Georgia's 13-2 run midway through the second half to take a 68-58 lead. Kier ended that run by following a three-pointer with a fast break.
Kier did miss a shot with seconds left that would have sent the game to overtime, but he shouldn't have been in that position to begin with. Georgia had ample opportunity to win the game in regulation.
The Bad
Lack of trips to the free-throw line
Georgia shot just 18 free throws Wednesday and two of its trips in overtime were gifts by the officials. LSU, however, shot 33 free throws. Neither team shot the ball well at the line. Both squads ended the game shooting 66.7 percent at the line. But for LSU, that meant 22 points on free throws, Georgia scored just 12 points.
In close games, it's important to get to the free-throw line and take as many uncontested shots as possible. Georgia failed to do that and lost by two points as a result.
The Ugly
Untimely fouls
Fouls gave the game away. Georgia led 68-58 with 9:07 left in the game and LSU responded with a 13-2 run to take a 71-70 lead just two minutes later. That run likely doesn't happen without Georgia giving away free throws.
Five of LSU's points in that run came at the free-throw line and three of those foul shots completed three-point plays. The result of the game is likely different if Georgia just played cleaner defense during thoese two minutes.
