Me? A Basketball Fan?

I'll be honest: I hate basketball.

Sure, I went to the games in high school. To socialize. But I couldn't care less about the games themselves. I never went to a UGA basketball game in my four years at Georgia. I do, however, know the bare minimum basics about the game—definitely enough to earn an A++ on Jim Harrick Jr.'s final exam in his Coaching Principles and Strategies of Basketball course—I just don't care about the sport.

But last year, when a guy named Mark Fox started coaching the Bulldogs, I found myself scrolling to see which teams were playing when ESPN had on college basketball. I'd tune in every now and then to watch the Dawgs, and though the team's win-loss record wasn't much to talk about, they sure did know how to keep a game interesting all the way to the buzzer.

Fox's Hounds were doing what I thought was impossible: Generating some excitement about our roundball team.

And this year, the excitement is building. With a renovated Stegeman Coliseum, strong non-conference play early on, and an upset over Kentucky, the season was off to a great start.

I settled in last night to watch the game against Florida from beginning to end. The Gators jumped out to an early lead, but all of a sudden the red and black settled down and it was as if every single rebound fell into the paws of a Dawg. The team was jelling, the students were jumping, the Steg was rocking.

I called mom to say, "For the first time ever, I actually wish I was at a basketball game."

At the half we were up by two.

But then, Florida came back out fighting. The tide had turned and rebounds were going Florida's way. We were down by eight in the final three minutes. With a minute to go, we were down by four. I admit I thought it was over. But somehow Florida missed some free throws, Robinson and Thompson came up big, and the game went into overtime.

I can't really bear to go through the rest. You know the ending anyway: The Dawgs lost in double overtime 104-91. And this girl, who doesn't care at all about basketball, sure found herself caring a lot about that loss.

T. Kyle King over at DawgSports.com sums it up best:


"The only consolation to be found in this outcome is that it confirms, once and for all, that we are, in fact, a basketball school. I know that because, right now, I feel every bit as lousy as I did after Georgia similarly squandered a stirring comeback by suffering a crushing overtime defeat to Florida in football. Basketball now officially has joined football, baseball, and gymnastics on the list of University of Georgia athletics in which I am sufficiently emotionally invested that I feel utterly devastated when the ‘Dawgs lose at them."



I didn't plan on becoming a Georgia basketball fan, but count me in. Win or lose, these Dawgs have piqued my interest and convinced me that I should be cheering them on, even if it's just from my couch, when they play. Next up is Kentucky at Rupp Arena on Saturday. Another tough one in the SEC East. The Dawgs might win—or they might lose—but they sure as heck will make it thrilling to watch.

GO DAWGS!