Hoops: UGA hosts former Marietta star, Missouri

Athens — Normally college athletes choose a school close to home because they want to remain near their mothers. J.T. Tiller of Marietta chose to play at Missouri because he felt he needed to get away from his.

“Georgia was a consideration, but it was a little too close to home,” said Tiller, a junior guard from Wheeler. “My mama is one of those kind of moms that likes to be in all your business every day. So I had to get a little further away than one hour.”

It’s not because Tiller doesn’t love his mother. Quite the contrary. It’s just that sometimes mama can love him a little too much.

“Yeah, I do. That’s probably true,” said his mother, Faye Tiller. “But I can love him just as much when he’s away as I can when he’s here. And I still stay up on everything he’s doing in his life. Girls, too.”

Mama and the entire Tiller clan will be able to get up close and personal with J.T. on Saturday as he leads the Tigers (11-2) into the Stegeman Coliseum to play the Bulldogs (9-4). Mrs. Tiller will be accompanied by her husband, Clarence, youngest son Jamal (a junior and a college prospect at Wheeler), several uncles and aunts and cousins and the middle school team for which J.T. used to play.

“I’ve heard 30 or 40 people. I’m really not sure,” J.T. Tiller said. “This is going to be my first time back since I left. So I’m actually very excited about coming back home and being able to play in front of the people I played in front of for years.”

The time away from home has served J.T. well. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound combo guard, who played alongside J.J. Hickson at Wheeler, has distinguished himself as a defensive stalwart for the Tigers. He’s second on the team with 23 steals this season, led the team in deflections last year and is considered a favorite for the Big 12 All-Defensive team. After starting the last 12 games of last season, he has started every game this season. He averages 6.6 points a game and leads Mizzou with 42 assists.

Tiller is also getting it done off the court. Majoring in international business, he sports a 3.5-point grade-point average and interned for AFLAC this past summer.

“It’s been good for him,” Mrs. Tiller said. “He needed to grow up and take responsibility for himself.”

Initially Tiller didn’t intend to be so far from home. He originally signed with UAB out of Wheeler, but when Mike Anderson left UAB to accept the job as Missouri’s coach three years ago, Tiller followed him up there.

If only for a day, the Tillers are glad to have their oldest back close to home.

Etc.

Forward Terrance Woodbury is expected to return for today’s game. The senior captain was the Bulldogs’ leading scorer before missing the previous four games with an ankle injury. Freshman Travis Leslie likely will start, however. … Sophomore point guard Zac Swansey is expected to start after missing the Kennesaw State game with a knee injury. … The Tigers’ two losses were to Xavier (75-71) and Illinois (75-59). Georgia lost to the Illini 76-42. Mizzou’s best victory was 83-72 over USC.