It is rarely appropriate to use a baseball reference in a basketball article, but in the midst of a four game losing streak, Mike White's team was desperately in search of a new identity and spark. So White knew he needed a curve ball to help get Georgia basketball back on track.
Given his team’s response in their 71-60 victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks Tuesday night in Athens, GA, it appears that White threw a strike.
Major change to the starting lineup
First came a change to the starting lineup. White swapped Dakota Leffew in place of Tyron Lawrence, who had been the Bulldogs starter all season. Leffew responded with a monster 14 point (2/4 3 PT), 4 assist and three steal performance.
The next big change came the bench as White knew he also needed a new spark from his backups. And he found that spark in sophomore swingman Dylan James, who played a season high 21 minutes against South Carolina. James played his most complete game of the season scoring 10 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 blocks.
“I just try to keep stacking days,” James told the SEC network after the win. “And when the opportunity comes I just try to take advantage. My coaches trusted me. My teammates trusted me. The fans trusted me. And I just did what I do.”
Georgia finished the night shooting 51 percent from the floor (26-51) and 47 percent from three-point range (7-15), which was their best three-point showing of the season. The seven made three-pointers also tied Georgia’s season-high in three-pointers made in a game as well.
After reshuffling the deck, White is counting on this game being the Bulldogs new norm. With 10 conference games remaining on the schedule, the hope is the actions taken last night serves as a catalyst for a strong finish to the season.
The aspirations of that strong finish begins Saturday when the Bulldogs travel to Tuscaloosa to take on No. 4 Alabama.