Another Georgia loss, another post-game Zoom session with head coach Tom Crean facing tough questions about the current status of his program.
The Bulldogs fell to host Texas A&M 91-77, but after the game, reporters had other subjects to broach—among them, the status of assistant coach Wade Mason.
Monday night, UGASports confirmed that Mason had left the Bulldog program. When asked about the assistant, Crean had little to say.
“Wade Mason is not with us right now and our complete focus is on our team, but thank you,” Crean said.
That was not all.
Following Saturday’s loss to Ole Miss, a hot mic following Crean’s post-game Zoom caught the head coach asking an unknown person about who may have leaked the news about Mason’s physical altercation with Director of Player Personnel Brian Fish at halftime of the game at LSU.
Crean was also overheard making remarks about the effort of point guard Aaron Cook.
When asked if he spoke to Cook since the incident, Crean declined to say.
“If you have a question on the game—we just move on and we focus on basketball the best that we can,” Crean said. “I’d say these guys did a pretty good job tonight with how they worked, so thank you.”
Earlier, Crean took issue with a question that suggested his team was just going through the motions in Tuesday’s game.
“I’m going to be kind right here because you said it seemed like we were going through the motions. I don’t really appreciate that, so there’s not a lot I can add past that,” Crean said. “So, sorry.”
Truthfully, effort did not seem to be a problem.
The Bulldogs (6-22, 1-14) actually started the game quickly, using an 11-0 run to build a seven-point lead.
However, as has been the case on most occasions, the lead did not last for long. Texas A&M (17-11, 6-9) responded with a 14-0 run to build a double-digit lead it would maintain for most of the game.
Georgia actually shot an impressive 60 percent from the field, but only made it to the free throw line 11 times (converting 10) and committed 20 turnovers.
“The result is what it is. We shot the ball extremely well,” Crean said. “But you covered it, the turnovers, and we didn’t get to the foul line enough and they got some straight-line drives. We just didn’t have a complete game.”
The loss occurred despite a career night by Kario Oquendo, who tallied 33 points. Braelen Bridges was the only other Bulldog in double-figures, with 10.
“Kario did a tremendous job,” Crean said. “But we just didn’t guard the ball. We just didn’t guard the ball well enough. They were hot and we didn’t guard the ball well enough, and they got some points off turnovers.”
The scoring slowed for both teams in the second half with Cook making it an eight-point game at the 15-minute mark with a three. Texas A&M found success in the paint, while Georgia battled with outside shooting, including back-to-back threes from senior Noah Baumann and Oquendo to bring the score to 62-55 halfway through the second half. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, an Aggie 3-pointer and quick layup off a turnover returned the deficit to double-digits.
Texas A&M used more Georgia turnovers to build a game-high 15-point lead with under seven minutes remaining. Jabri Abdur-Rahim and Oquendo then combined to hit three 3-pointers in a row, but the Aggies responded with a bucket each time. In the closing minutes, Abdur-Rahim added another trey as Texas A&M closed out the 14-point victory.
Georgia returns home for its final two games of the regular season at Stegeman Coliseum. The home stand begins with a matchup against Florida on Saturday at noon on ESPN2.
