Frazier wins
Georgia wants the ball in J. J. Frazier’s hands late in tight games, even when he’s sick.
Though it hasn’t always worked in the Bulldogs’ favor, they have shown the superquick Frazier, who was named SEC player of the week Monday, needs to have his hand on the trigger at crunch time.
Twice in the past two weeks, Frazier’s late- game performances have led to critical victories for Georgia, which is among a handful of SEC bubble teams.
On Saturday, a few hours after going to an urgent care clinic and testing negative for the flu, Frazier scored 29 points and had a season- high eight assists in Georgia’s 8280 home victory over LSU.
With Georgia trailing 8079, the 5- 10, 155- pound senior drove the length of the floor in the final 6 seconds, was fouled at the rim and made two free throws with 1.6 seconds left for the winning points.
Frazier scored 11 of Georgia’s final 12 points in a 60- 55 victory at Alabama on Thursday, the Bulldogs’ first full game without standout forward Yante Maten. Frazier hit a high- arcing layup after a tough drive down the left block with 1: 32 remaining to give Georgia a 56- 53 lead. He then hit two free throws with 50 seconds left for a 58- 55 lead and later added another free throw in the Bulldogs’ road victory. Deandre Burnett ( 89.8, 176 of 196). Auburn’s Danjel Purifoy is fourth at 87.7 percent ( 71 of 81), while Macon is fifth at 87.3 percent ( 110 of 126).
In SEC games, Barry is making 92.7 percent of his free throws, and he’s followed in the top five by Florida’s KeVaughn Allen ( 89.1), Burnett ( 87.5), Georgia’s Juwan Parker ( 86.2) and Macon ( 85.2).