On The Road at Georgia: Alabama's Second Colossal Collapse

With 11:36 to go in the second half, Alabama led by 13 points. First year Alabama head coach Anthony Grant called a timeout to give the team their instructions for the remainder of the game.

Coming out of the timeout, Georgia went on an 11-2 run, closing in on the Tide and shrinking the lead to four points. With the score 54-50, Grant called timeout again. Alabama was losing grip on a victory, a game in which they had been in charge most of the second half. Grant put his finger in the dike.

Right out of the timeout, Torrence nailed a three-pointer from the highest point of the arc. Georgia then took a high percentage shot, missed, and Alabama grabbed the defensive rebound, not allowing a second chance point. 

It seemed at that point, the resurgence of the Tide's confidence would be enough to hold off the Dogs.

With seven minutes left in the game, Bama held onto a seven point lead. JaMychal Green lost his orientation and stepped out of bounds, turning the ball over on the offensive court. Georgia scored quickly with an uncontested layup.

Following a quick foul by Georgia, Anthony Brock, a reliable free throw shooter, missed the back end of a one and one. A chink in the armor. Control of the game slipping away from Alabama, once again.

Then another Alabama mistake. With UGA at the line, following a missed free throw, JUCO transfer Chris Hines commits his fifth foul, giving the ball back to Georgia. The next two free throws are made by Georgia's Chris Barnes, leaving the lead at four.

The second chance points at the charity stripe ignited the UGA crowd and re-energized the feisty Bulldogs on the court.

The Georgia players and fans could see the fear and unease on the face of the Tide players. Everyone in Stegman Coliseum knew the history; just two weeks ago, Alabama had let a 23 point lead slip away on the home court of the Ole Miss Rebels.

In the twenty seconds that followed, Bama missed on the offensive glass and Georgia nailed a three-point basket. Oh my.

With 4:40 left, Bama held a one point lead.

JaMychal Green missed an uncontested layup, Hillman missed a wide-open three-pointer, Green fouled Trey Tompkins out of frustration.

Tompkins hit the front end of a one and one. Bama got the rebound and Hillman turned the ball over to Georgia on a travel. The fifth travel of the second half by Alabama.

Mistake after mistake by Alabama. Unforced errors. Who could survive such a travesty?

Georgia took advantage of the turnover, retaking the lead with a fifteen footer nailed by Trey Tompkins. It was the first lead of the game for Georgia in the second half.

Then Bama went to work, showing toughness offensively and defensively. Georgia fought hard against the resurgent Tide, a team coming off a full week of rest.

Georgia took the lead to four and Bama brought it back down to two with 1:42 remaining. The Tide stayed aggressive and fought hard on the road. But the Tide would never again lead in the game.

For UGA, Travis Leslie and Trey Tompkins kept the Bulldogs snapping at the onslaught of Crimson waves. Brock, Torrence, and Green kept it close for Alabama.

Then out of nowhere, Dustin Ware hits a three. His first points of the game. For more than 30 minutes of playing time, Ware had been held scoreless. Anthony Brock had defended him brilliantly the entire game. But now it was the final hour; the moment of truth.

With a 68-63 lead, Green received a pass on the post and Tompkins blocked his shot. Not once, but twice. The look on Green's face after that encounter said it all, "I can't do it myself, guys, I need help. Somebody please step up."

Georgia would not let the Crimson Tide overtake them in their house, on their court. In desperation, Mikhail Torrence fouled Dustin Ware, one of the best shooters in the conference. The one player held at bay until the last two minutes of the game. The great one's will not be denied.

Two free throws by Ware gave the Bulldogs a seven point lead. Brock hit two from the field to keep Alabama within five but fouled Ware on the inbound pass to send him back to the line. Ware hit both free throws igniting the crowd and staving off the Tide.

A series of turnovers by both teams left the ball in Torrence's hands at the three-point line and he drained the three with 19 seconds left. The Tide was then turned away on their last attempts to score a meaningful basket.

They ended up with another devastating loss on the road. Down by six at the end, UGA outscored the Tide by 19 in the last 11:36.

On the season, Alabama is 14-12, 4-8 in the SEC. Each game has been a great contest, yet they finish repeatedly as the loser. This is the kind of season that can build a champion. But will it happen?

No doubt, this Crimson Tide team is made up of proud young men. They will work hard until this season ends and hopefully have a few more victories to share with each other and the Alabama fans.

But they are not mature and are not deep enough to win in this tough league. Grant will need to use the rest of this season to build up character and fortitude in the team for next years run. It's time to work on the future.

In fact, there is no team in the West Division that has the stuff of champions this year. Arkansas, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, and Auburn are pretenders as much as Alabama. Maybe next year, or the year after but not here and now.

The SEC East is dominant and Kentucky is without question the Beast in the East.