Georgia explains miscue at end of Tennessee loss

Georgia basketball’s matchup with Tennessee ended in baffling fashion Wednesday night.

With 15 seconds left in overtime, junior guard Smurf Millender drove toward the basket. As he crossed into the paint, Tennessee let up, allowing Millender to drill the layup with less than a second left.

Georgia’s bench stood in shock, while fans in Stegeman Coliseum threw their arms up in frustration. The Bulldogs needed three points, not two, to tie the game.

Coach Mike White offered an explanation for the miscue afterward.

“When you’re late-game, and it’s a big moment, sometimes stuff happens,” White said after Georgia’s 86-85 overtime loss. “I think we just lost a little track of time.”

White was not going to single out Millender, who made the game-tying shot in regulation to force overtime, but Georgia clearly needed three points. The drawn-out layup gave Tennessee the ball back with 0.6 seconds left, leaving the Bulldogs with little opportunity to extend the game.

Had Georgia nailed the layup a bit earlier, it would have fouled Tennessee and needed a 3-pointer to either tie or win, depending on the success of the Volunteers’ free throws.

Georgia had a quick, 2-point play installed for junior guard Blue Cain — who would have quickly moved downhill for the score — but preferred to attempt a 3-pointer since scoring two points would have also required a turnover or another long basket from the Bulldogs.

Sophomore forward Kanon Catchings appeared to have an open shot, but Millender lost track of the clock and took it to the basket himself.

“We ran some action to get Blue potentially downhill to his right hand, and then we were running some misdirection pinned down toward the top of the key action with Smurf, which we’ve had a lot of success with him getting open ones,” White said. “(Tennessee) switched it. … And then it came down to trying to make a play off the bounce and get someone a shot.”

Millender’s miscue spoiled a strong performance, as the UTSA transfer scored 19 points with four rebounds and two assists. He sent the game into overtime with a layup with three seconds remaining in regulation.

It marked Millender’s third time hitting a game-winning or game-tying shot within the final five seconds of a game.