Tom Crean was asked what he talked about with his team after Georgia’s latest blowout loss, an 83-59 shellacking at the hands of South Carolina.
The answer? Not much.
After watching his Bulldogs shoot a miserable 31.8 percent from the field (21 of 66) and make just 4 of 26 three-point attempts, there wasn't a lot to say.
“I didn’t say a lot to the team; it’s not the time or place,” Crean said. “Bottom line is, our lack of shot-making hurt us on the defensive end. We get quiet when we’re not making shots, and it’s a tough night.”
That is putting it mildly.
The 4-for-26 effort from beyond the arc marked the worst such effort of the year for the Bulldogs (9-6, 2-6). This including a combined 0-for-11 effort by two of its better long-distance shooters, Justin Kier and P.J. Horne.
"We made very conscious efforts to go inside, but you still have to make threes. It has to happen, and if you're going to win, you have to make open jump shots,” Crean said. “You don't want to take their confidence on shooting the ball. But P.J. Horne and Justin Kier, those guys have to make threes for us. They just have to, and tonight they didn't.”
So, what do the Bulldogs do?
Crean was asked that very question.
“If you think you're just going to be ready to play the game inside the three-point line, that's not realistic. You've got to be able to get it swung, go inside, drive and kick,” Crean said. “The last thing I want them to lose is confidence. But at the end of the day, the results are what they are. They're not making their shots. It affects us on the other end, and we're not guarding the ball as well. Therefore we lose tonight."
K.D. Johnson and Andrew Garcia were the only Bulldogs to finish in double-figures, scoring 14 and 10 points, respectively.
Twenty turnovers didn't help Georgia’s cause, either. But ultimately, this one came down to shooting—or a severe lack thereof.
“Our three-point shooting has been better; it hasn't been better the last two games. At the end of the day, there's no alternative to that, because of the way they pack in the defense,” Crean said. “Do we make shots in practice? Do we make shots in games? Absolutely. We do, or we wouldn't take them. The bottom line is, we're not making them right now and the other night. That's why we've got to get movement, make the next pass, get into the lane, drive, and kick it. That's part of how we have to play."
