ATHENS – Among the many things Georgia coach Tom Crean mentioned in his typically voluminous opening statement following Friday night’s win over Jacksonville was a statistical correction.
It had been mentioned that Sahvir Wheeler had recorded yet another “double-double” with 21 points and 10 assists in the Bulldogs’ 98-65. Crean said that wasn’t correct.
“He actually had a triple-double,” Crean said in his virtual postgame news conference, “because he had 10 deflections, too.”
Crean and the Bulldogs love deflections. They talk about them all the time. In fact, they had 67 of them Friday night, including 14 by sophomore Toumani Camara.
But Crean was kidding. He knows deflections aren’t a recognized stat. Points and assists are, though, and for Wheeler it goes into the records books as another points-and-assists double-double.
That makes three in a row for the 5-foot-10 sophomore guard. Not only is that impressive, it’s also rare.
In fact, Georgia basketball publicist Mike Mobley already had done a great deal of digging before Friday’s game to determine that no Bulldog had ever had two back-to-back games of double-figure points and assists. Well, at least nobody dating to the 1970s.
Now that Wheeler has had three in a row, Mobley can probably relax his research and just rest in the knowledge that no Bulldog has ever done that in the modern era of UGA basketball, and probably never, period.
“I didn’t know it was three times in a row until after the game,” Wheeler said of his latest double-double. “But I think most of that is just a product of our offense, of Coach Crean constantly teaching pace, to keep making the next play, that an open guy gets the ball and trusting your teammates.”
Wheeler had many teammates he could trust Friday night as six players scored in double figures. Camara added 19 points and some spectacular dunks, Christian Brown added 14 points and P.J. Horne (12), Justin Kier (11) and Tye Fagan (10) also scored in double digits.
Kier, a graduate transfer, added seven assists as Georgia shot 51% from the floor, piled up 24 assists and scored 31 points off 15 steals. With the exception of 16 turnovers, it was excellent work by all.
But the Bulldogs’ locker room was still buzzing about Wheeler afterward. Averaging 10.7 assists in Georgia’s first three games, no other SEC player has recorded 10 assists in even a single game.
Wheeler was able to do it with lightning-quick drives off the dribble and incredible speed on floor runs, usually ending in either him making a lay-up or dropping off the ball to a teammate for a dunk or lay-in.
“I don’t think I’ve ever played with someone who can handle the ball that fast,” said Kier, a graduate transfer from George Mason. “I’ve played with a lot of quick guards who can get out and dribble down the court, but as you guys can see here every night, east to west, north to south, Sahvir is incredible, and I tell him that every day. I’ve never seen somebody move that fast and be able to control the ball.”
Georgia led 46-36 at the half, then used a 23-5 scoring run in the second half to capture a 27-point lead. Anytime the Dolphins would start to whittle into the Bulldogs’ advantage, it seemed like Georgia would come up with a steal and that would end in a thunderous dunk or Wheeler layup to snatch back the momentum.
It was an impressive performance especially considered the Bulldogs were playing their third game in a week. They’ll play their fourth game in 10 days Tuesday when Montana visits (7 p.m. SEC Network).
“I was worried about the cumulative effect,” Crean said. “We tried to tone our practices down time wise, but you still have to prepare. You still have to play, and I thought our guys tonight overcame that wall in the second half and played outstanding. To get six guys in double figures is huge. That’s how we want to play here.”
Having Wheeler certainly helps the Bulldogs go fast. And the players around him, which include eight newcomers, are showing they can finish, too.
“I love the way we’re playing right now,” Wheeler said. “We’re sharing it, everyone’s involved. Coach mentioned that six guys were in double figures; that is just a testament to how we practice. We practice with a lot of intensity. Of course, this isn’t a perfect game. We’re going to have turnovers, so we have got to fix that. But, overall, why would you not want to play a game that is fun and fast.”
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