Important Day for HoopDawgs

Coach Fox has brought the program a long way in two years. A win today over Washington in the first round of the NCAA Tournament would go a long way toward taking it to the next level.

The Bulldogs got to the NCAA tournament in 2008 after an unexpected run to the SEC tournament title, but could not build on it the following season.

“Check our record, we’ve been fifth or sixth in the SEC East for the last seven years,” McGarity said. “I think if you had said coming in that you would be in the NCAA tournament Year 2, I think you’d probably cash that check right now, but I think that’s a stretch.”

After all, McGarity points out, Vanderbilt’s Kevin Stallings – completing his 12th season with the Commodores – never finished above .500 in the SEC in his first four seasons.

Stallings got to the NCAA tournament in his fifth season in Nashville and has made four more trips.

“To do it right, it takes a long time to develop and patience is key because you don’t want to cut corners,” said McGarity, who became AD at Georgia in September after seeing basketball success at Florida when he was senior administrator there. “You want to build your program with a strong foundation, you want to recruit the state hard and I think those are the things Mark has done.”

I'm ready to take the next step. And I think the Hoopdawgs are too.


Go Dawgs!