Georgia basketball is becoming cool again.

Yes, the program has always had its diehard followers. But for many casual fans of the program who only saw the sport as an interlude before the start of spring football, more and more red and black faithful are starting to pay attention.

And well they should.

When Mike White took over the Bulldog program a year ago, he envisioned a day when Stegeman Coliseum would become a house of horrors for opposing teams.

Thanks to the product on the floor, we’re already beginning to see that take form.

Win, and they will come.

In 27 years of covering Georgia athletics, I can say there’s never been a truer statement. Name the sport and we can show where winning brings out the fans.

Oh, we’ve seen it in basketball before. Sellout crowds were common under Hugh Durham, Jim Harrick, and Tubby Smith. Even during Anthony Edwards’ one and only season with the Bulldogs, Stegeman would be packed to the rafters, albeit most were there to watch the player many consider one of the very best in the NCAA.

However, this year is different. It’s about the team, the effort, and the results that have helped breathe life back into The Steg.

"I'm super appreciative. I'm more excited though for our guys, but I'm also excited for anyone who was in that building,” White said after his team’s 68-66 win over LSU. “It was a fun game because it was so loud. It was high-level college basketball, and the fans that showed up and screamed and jump on the refs, I'm just appreciative. And also excited for them to experience it. It wasn't like that last year. It wasn't that loud last year. I don't know if that was quite as loud as the Tennessee game, but it got loud in there a few times for sure. Look forward to a few more of those."

If you haven’t been to Stegeman recently, you are missing out.

Two things stand out to me.

You wouldn’t think something as simple as painting the ceiling would contribute to the aesthetics of the nearly 60-year-old building, but it has.

So too, has bringing the student section closer to the court. That move has made a tremendous difference.

While you’re still going to find disgruntled longtime season ticket holders who had to move locations, it’s hard to argue with the results.

Since SEC play has started, Georgia has averaged approximately 3,000 students per game. That’s helped create quite the atmosphere. It’s been loud.

There were points during Georgia’s recent game against Tennessee that rivaled any atmosphere witnessed at Stegeman in my 27 years in Athens.

Wednesday night’s game against LSU had its moments, too.

When RJ Melendez slammed home two on a breakaway, Stegeman exploded, forcing Tiger head coach Matt McMahon to hastily call a timeout.

“Steg was rocking. When RJ dunked on them, I went crazy,” freshman Silas Demary Jr. said. “Moments like that bring more energy, bring more things to us as a team. They bring more energy to us when we might be struggling.”

The Bulldogs are certainly giving fans something to be excited about.

With nine newcomers – five transfers and four true freshmen – there were never any guarantees the Bulldogs would gel so quickly.

Picked to finish 12th in the SEC, ahead of only LSU and South Carolina, not much was expected of White’s second Bulldog squad.

Now sitting at 14-5, 4-2 in the SEC, Georgia has itself in a position to be in the conversation for a postseason bid, perhaps even a shot at the NCAAs.

Effort and resilience are two words you’ve probably heard to describe this Georgia team.

Coming down from 17 points in the last seven minutes to beat Florida State in Tallahassee. Bouncing back from 28 down at Kentucky over the final seven minutes to make it interesting against the Wildcats. Scoring with 2.3 seconds on a putback by Russel Tchewa to beat LSU. All three are examples of why this Bulldog team continues to gain believers.

"If you're going to be in the conversation to play some postseason, there's going to be a handful of those - for a team like us,” White said. “If you're fortunate enough to get over the hump and win some or all of those, you give yourself a better chance. We'll have more of those, and I'm sure LSU will as well.”

It's a deep team.

On a night where Jabri Abdur-Rahim goes 1 of 8 from three-point range one game after scoring a career-high 34 points at Kentucky, other players continue to step up.

With players like Justin Hill, the aforementioned Melendez and Tchewa, Noah Thomasson, Blue Cain, and Demary Jr. (who has developed into one of the better freshmen in the league), the Bulldogs have become a team worthy of fans’ attention.

Following another big road trip on Saturday to Florida, fans will have two more opportunities next week to make an impact when Alabama and South Carolina each make appearances at Stegeman for two more crucial conference games.

Those will be hot tickets, for the first time in a long time.