FINAL: Georgia 60 @Bama 55

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/aldotcomSports/status/834568129187569664

Avery Johnson changed the way Alabama studied film leading up to Saturday's 18-point win over LSU.

Instead of showing his team film of the Tigers, he popped on film of themselves.

Riley Norris: You're dangerous when you're not afraid to shoot.

"I asked him to please just shoot the ball," Johnson said. "If you miss, I guarantee you I'll take the blame for it. So, what about if you just shoot it? Because you're never going to get the blame because I'll take all the blame for it."

"In the back of your mind, you're thinking 'Should I shoot or not?'" Norris said.

Up next is Georgia, a team Norris got for 15 points in aa 80-60 win last month in Athens. Tip is set for 6 p.m. CT Thursday in Coleman

Johnson: "Just, for the rest of this year, just shoot the ball if you're open."

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/JasonHButt/status/834457769604476928

Fox walked from the floor to the huddle. He had to immediately think of how to overcome the loss of his best player in a marquee game.

In less than two minutes of game action, forward Yante Maten was forced to exit Saturday's 82-77 loss against Kentucky due to a [ODB-driven] significant knee sprain.

"'OK, how are we going to scratch this one out in the dirt and give ourselves a chance?' " Fox said. "It's part of it. It's the reality of athletics. You have to deal with it."

Georgia likely will try out a variety of lineups during its game against Alabama at 7 p.m. [EST] on Thursday. Edwards and Ogbeide down low is likely to be a combination used a lot. The option of going small exists, too, with Diatta and Wilridge playing a stretch-four role on the offensive end.

"What would be a little unique is going small and playing Mike at the five, which is something we haven't done all season," Fox said. "Injuries are a part of the game, and we'll have to adjust. We'll obviously see some of that small lineup because those other kids aren't going to play 40 minutes a night."

The adjustment won't be easy, especially with Georgia in a no-lose situation at this stage of the season. Four games remain and the Bulldogs likely need to win each of them to get back in to the NCAA Tournament at-large conversation.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/ByCasagrande/status/834958621154902022

There are two Alabama basketball teams and they got in a nasty fight Thursday night.

The Alabama that turns it over, takes bad shots and misses the rest took the court for a 6 p.m. tip. The other Alabama showed up after halftime to fix the sins.

Neither has much of a case for March when it was all over.

Georgia handed the Crimson Tide a 60-55 loss on a frantic evening in Coleman Coliseum. After trailing by as many as 14, Alabama got as close as one several times. It was down to a single point with under a minute left before J.J. Frazier's free throws pushed things to a more comfortable margin.

Alabama (16-11, 9-6 SEC) still hasn't won more than two straight in league play as its already-thin NCAA tournament resume took a serious blow.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/834963912646852609