If there’s one lesson every freshman learns when he signs on to play basketball for Mark Fox, it’s you’d better be willing to excel in every aspect of the game.

Just ask Tyree Crump.

After a stellar career at Bainbridge High which saw him score 2,209 points with double-figures in 101 of 109 career games, Crump – not unlike many freshmen his first year at UGA – hasn’t seen quite as much court action as perhaps he initially had hoped.

As Georgia (5-3) gets ready to host UL-Lafayette Wednesday night (6 p.m.), Crump was averaging just seven minutes in seven games before not playing in the Bulldogs’ most recent contest against Marquette.

So, what’s been the problem?

“When you come in here, you’ve got to play 'D,' or you won’t play,” Crump said. “That’s the main thing. If you don’t play defense, you won’t play.”

Crump isn’t the only Bulldog newcomer to learn this lesson. Fellow freshman Jordan Harris and junior college transfer Pape Diatta are averaging 11.3 and 12 minutes per game, respectively, much to the chagrin of some fans who see it as Fox being stubborn when it comes getting his best players on the court.

But according to senior guard J.J. Frazier, there’s a reason why that’s the case.

“You’ve got to play hard. You’ve got to play hard all the time. When you talk about high school, you’re the man in high school. You don’t have to play as hard. You can do what you want, but when you get to this level, there are 14 guys who are just as good or maybe better than you are,” Frazier said. “The biggest thing is to learn how hard you’ve got to play, to learn that you’re not going to be the man on every team, every night.”

It’s a lesson Frazier had to learn on his own.

As a freshman playing behind Kenny Gaines and Charles Mann, Frazier averaged just over three minutes per contest before seeing that average bump as a sophomore to 29 minutes and 16 starts in 32 games.

“You feel frustration, especially if you are a competitor,” Frazier said. “But it’s something you have to learn. All of them learn. I tell them all the time to just stay ready because eventually your number is going to be called. But if you are not mentally attached to how you are supposed to play, how hard you are supposed to play, then you won’t ever play.”

Frazier does not think that’s the case with Crump and Harris.

“I think our freshmen are mentally attached and waiting on their chance,” said Frazier

Crump feels he’s making some progress.

“I think I’ve gotten a lot better since the first game,” he said. “Really, defense is effort. You’ve got to want to play, which I don’t mind playing.”

Fox seems to agree, but says both Harris and Crump still have a lot of improving to do.

“They both are getting better. They both are making errors that we expect them to make as freshmen and they’re learning from them. I think that Tyree has a couple of guys in his position in Turtle and J.J. that he can really learn from, and that will be an advantage for him in the long run,” Fox said. “I think they are both like typical freshmen. They’re getting better, they’re getting more comfortable, but they’re still making the mistakes that most freshmen make.”

Frazier said he’ll help the duo all he can.

“When I see a little frustration, a little self-doubt, I tell them that I went through the same thing. You can look at me as an example,” he said. “I think they take that and run with it, and they know if they do what they are supposed to then Coach will play them and everything will work out.”