EVENTS
 Sportsman of the Year
 Heisman Trophy
 Swimsuit 2001

CENTERS
 Fantasy Central
 Inside Game
 Video Plus
 Statitudes
 Your Turn
 Message Boards
 Email Newsletters
 Golf Guide
 Cities
 

CNNSI.com GROUP
 Sports Illustrated
 Life of Reilly
 SI Women
 SI for Kids
 Press Room
 TBS/TNT Sports
 CNN Languages

COMMERCE
 SI Customer Service
 SI Media Kits
 Get into College
 Sports Memorabilia
 TeamStore

Georgia Bulldogs (2001: 16-15)

The following team preview is provided by Blue Ribbon. For the nation's most comprehensive look at this and all Division I teams, be sure to order the 2001-02 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, on sale now at 1-800-775-2518.

Program overview

Georgia's Jim Harrick is college basketball's resident jet-setter. He has coached on the West Coast, coached in the Northeast, and most recently, has settled in the deep South.

His 429 wins are a testament to his staying power, and a quick scan of his resume reveals something else: He's a fast worker.

At Pepperdine, Harrick had the Waves in the NIT during his first season and in the NCAA Tournament by his third season. He took UCLA to the NCAA Tournament all eight seasons he was there and won a national championship in 1995.

But after the 1996 season, Harrick was fired at UCLA for what the school's chancellor said was an attempt by Harrick to mislead the university in its investigation of a recruiting violation.

Down but not out, Harrick resurfaced at Rhode Island a year later and promptly led the Rams to NCAA Tournament berths both seasons he was there.

It should come as no surprise then that the 63-year-old Harrick did it again last season, guiding Georgia to the NCAA Tournament in only his second year on the job. Harrick became one of only three coaches in history to take four different teams to the NCAA Tournament. Lefty Driesell and Eddie Sutton were the other two.

For the Bulldogs, it was their first NCAA Tournament appearance in four years. They managed to negotiate their way through the nation's toughest schedule and finished third in the SEC's Eastern Division with a 9-7 record.

As good as the 21-year coaching veteran was last season, he'll need to be even better this season. Gone are five of the top seven scorers from a year ago, including Georgia's entire frontcourt and the top reserve in the post. Making matters worse, all three of Georgia's freshmen recruits were academically ineligible, two of them at the very least for the first semester.

It was hard enough for the Bulldogs to lose the inside scoring tandem of Anthony Evans (11.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg) and Shon Coleman (10.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.0 bpg) to graduation. But their leading scorer --All-SEC guard D.A. Layne (16.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.4 apg) -- shocked everyone by deciding to turn pro. The frustrating part (for Layne and for the Bulldogs) was that he wasn't even drafted and lasted all of one day on Memphis' summer league team.

"He's looking for a job, like a lot of guys," said Harrick, who tried to dissuade Layne from giving up his senior season.

The loss of Layne became even more magnified when two freshman guards, Michael Dean Liggons and Jarrod Gerald, weren't admitted to school. The third recruit who couldn't enroll was center Larry Turner.

Backcourt

The Bulldogs played three guards a year ago, and two of those players are back-6-1 sophomore Rashad Wright and 6-4 junior Ezra Williams.

Wright (4.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.3 apg) took over the point guard duties in December last season and kept the job the remainder of the year. Wright, who's not a great shooter, made up for it with his ability to take care of the ball.

During SEC play, Wright ranked third among the league leaders in assist/turnover ratio (plus-1.85). Only three times in 16 games did he have a negative ratio.

Williams (12.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.3 apg) returns as the starter at one of the wing positions. Williams was streaky last season. He pumped in 30 points against Auburn and 25 against Mississippi State. But he was also prone to disappear. He failed to reach double figures in five of his last seven games.

Nonetheless, Williams is the kind of player that's difficult to defend. He can beat teams from the perimeter and also has the ability to attack the basket. Paramount, though, will be improving on his .297 three-point percentage from last season.

A concern in the backcourt will be depth, especially in light of the travails of Gerald and Liggons. Junior college signee Tony Cole could be the answer. The 5-10 junior played last season for NJCAA national champion Wabash Valley (Ill.) College and is a blur up and down the court. He's originally from Baton Rouge, La., and signed with Harrick at Rhode Island two years ago before heading for junior college.

In many of the Bulldogs' practices last season, one of the best players on the court was 6-6 sophomore forward Jarvis Hayes, a transfer from Western Carolina who was sitting out. He's ready to go this season and will inherit the other wing spot opposite Williams.

Hayes, a big-time leaper and versatile performer, was the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year in 2000. He averaged 17.1 points and 5.4 rebounds for the Catamounts and was the first freshman in 40 years to lead the Southern Conference in scoring.

Frontcourt

On the interior, Georgia will be bigger and more athletic than it was a year ago with 6-8 sophomore Steve Thomas (2.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg) and 6-7 sophomore Chris Daniels (3.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg). Neither, though, is as accomplished scoring in the post as Evans or Coleman.

Thomas, at 230 pounds, is the team's best rebounder and a solid post defender. Daniels showed flashes toward the end of last season and always seemed to come up with timely plays. Harrick loves his instincts for the game.

The other half of the Hayes combination, identical twin Jonas Hayes, will play a backup role to Daniels at the power forward spot. Like Jarvis, Jonas sat out last season after transferring from Western Carolina, but was allowed to practice with the team.

Another transfer is on the way. Damien Wilkins, the son of Gerald Wilkins and nephew of former Georgia great Dominique Wilkins, is transferring from North Carolina State. Wilkins, who has two years of eligibility remaining, will have to sit out this season.

Bottom line

In truth, Georgia could suffer its share of growing pains this year, although Harrick isn't conceding anything.

Layne made so many clutch baskets the last couple of years for the Bulldogs. It remains to be seen who takes those shots this season. And better yet, who's going to be the one to make them?

That's probably where Jarvis Hayes comes in. His development will be critical.

"He's got to pick up the slack that Layne gave us," Harrick said. "That and our inside guys have really got to come through for us with defense and rebounding, and a little bit of scoring."

Avoiding the cellar in the East will be a chore, especially if there are any injuries or other casualties. But if Georgia can't get any of its recruits eligible, the Bulldogs could suffer through a long season. With only eight bodies on hand to deal with the rigors of the SEC season, a last-place finish is likely (see LSU, 2000-01).