Alabama at Georgia

WHERE: Stegeman Coliseum

WHEN: Wednesday, 9 p.m.

RECORDS: Georgia 12-7, 4-3; Alabama 11-7, 4-2

TV/RADIO: ESPNU (Mike Couzens, Brooke Weisbrod); Georgia Bulldog Radio Network (Scott Howard, Chuck Dowdle, Tony Schiavone). SIRIUS/XM: 145/190

Although the clock malfunction at the end of Saturday’s game at Texas A&M was certainly a major storyline in Georgia’s loss to the Aggies, it was the team’s failure to inbound the basketball in the waning moments that ultimately cost the Bulldogs who host Alabama Wednesday night at Stegeman Coliseum.

On Tuesday, Bulldog head coach Mark Fox took the blame, despite some questionable calls that didn’t help matters for his team.

“I’m not going to sit here and blame the players” Fox said. “We could have done some things different but we say that after every game … you can’t live through the rear-view mirror.”

E’Torrion Wilridge confirmed what Fox had to say.

“He did (take the blame), but it’s really on us, too,” Wilridge said. “We’re the ones that are out there executing the plays we’re supposed to make to be successful.”

It wasn’t pretty to watch.

Georgia (12-7, 4-3) led by nine late in the game, but the Bulldogs committed four turnovers over the final stretch, the final one coming when J.J Frazier had one final inbounds pass go off his hands and out of bounds.

The Aggies used the turnover to score the go-ahead bucket and the rest is history.

“We didn’t have a pass and catch. We had a little bit of a slow pass on one, and J.J. just didn’t catch a ball,” Fox said. “It was a physical mistake. We had two offensive fouls in the frontcourt the last three and a half minutes, so those took away from possessions.”

The fact that Georgia played the final minutes with Derek Ogbeide, Juwan Parker and Mike Edwards on the bench after fouling out didn’t help matters as it forced Wilridge to play the 5 position, a spot he’d never even practiced before.

“We had players in the game who were playing positions we haven’t practiced or had practiced before,” he said. “At the end of the day, it was a good learning experience for us. That’s the first time being in that position and we didn’t handle it well. I think the next time we’re in that position, we’ll be better.”

As far as the clock malfunction, Fox – who is a member of the basketball rules committee – said he’ll bring the matter to the attention of the group during meetings after the year.

“There’s no question that I’ll work when the time is right to try and find a solution that’s fair to teams that are in that situation,” he said.

But right now, the focus is on his team and Wednesday night’s game (9 p.m., ESPNU) against Alabama (11-7, 4-2).

“I think our players obviously have had some adversity. Their resolve is being tested a little bit but we’ve got good character on this team and kids who understand how to win, have won and they’re being tested,” Fox said. “They’ll bounce back. They’re confident that they’ll keep fighting forward.”