The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dogs at home in NIT tonight
Tonight’s Georgia-Belmont NIT game gives fans another chance to see J.J. Frazier in action. It also will serve as an experiment for some proposed rule changes.
ATHENS — Two weeks ago, an excited J.J. Frazier spoke after Georgia’s senior night and said, “Hopefully this was my last game at Stegeman Coliseum.”
It wasn’t, and a more subdued Frazier was asked Tuesday how he and his team could get up for another NIT.
“In life, sometimes you fail at what you set. That doesn’t make you a failure,” Frazier said. “I know, and my teammates know, I play the same way regardless of the situation. For us, it’s not going to be a letdown. We’re obviously disappointed, but we’re going to play our tails off like we always do.”
Not only is Georgia in the NIT for the second consecutive season, but it’s playing the same opening opponent, Belmont. Last year the Bulldogs won by nine before bowing out in the second round.
So what motivation should Georgia fans have to come to Stegeman Coliseum tonight? Seeing Frazier, one of the more accomplished players in UGA history, is one. But there’s another novelty to the game: rules changes.
This year’s NIT will serve as an experiment for using four quarters in men’s college basketball, which is the last level of the sport not to use quarters. Several other tweaks will occur:
No more one-and-one free throws. Instead the fifth foul in each quarter will result in two free throws for the other team.
If there is a foul by the defense, with no free throws resulting, the shot clock doesn’t automatically reset to 30. It will go to 20 seconds or, if 20 to 29 seconds are left, it will stay there.
Georgia coach Mark Fox was on the NCAA rules committee that decided to experiment with that and several other rules changes during the NIT. He didn’t want to see the experiment firsthand, but after a disappointing 19-14 season, here he is.
“If we’re ever going to go to quarters, the one thing that you lose is the one-andone. Every shot is two shots. So essentially what we’re doing with the free-throw rule is experimenting what that will do with our game,” Fox said. “I’m not going to say I’m supportive of that yet because I think the oneand-one has been a critical and fun part of our game, and I’m not sure it’s totally broken.”
The rules changes won’t drastically change how the Bulldogs prepare for this game, other than the coaches needing to keep an eye on the foul situation as the first and third quarters wind down, remembering the changes.
“All I know is the game is 40 minutes,” Frazier said. “I might get a little bit more rest, I guess. But other than that I don’t really care about the changes.”
The past two NIT trips — last year and in 2014 — actually attracted decent crowds to Stegeman Coliseum. This time, however, the grumbling among the fan base has only increased, fans wanting more than NIT appearances.
“When people are disappointed, the great thing is that they care. We’re disappointed, too,” Fox said. “But we do still get the chance to coach J.J. Frazier one more game, and he gets to play one more time — and maybe more.”
Frazier enters the game ranked seventh on Georgia’s all-time scoring list, fourth in 3-pointers and free throws, and fifth in assists.
“This fan base has meant a lot to me,” Frazier said. “It’d be great for them to show up and support us. We’re going to give everything we’ve got. I think that in itself should have fans excited to see us.”