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Something to smile about Despite distractions, Georgia rallies to beat No. 3 FloridaPosted: Tuesday March 04, 2003 11:25 PMUpdated: Wednesday March 05, 2003 12:47 AM
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) -- For the first time in several days, Jim Harrick could smile. The embattled Georgia coach was right in the middle of things when the crowd stormed the court, celebrating wildly after the 25th-ranked Bulldogs beat No. 3 Florida 82-81 on Tuesday night. "The people of Athens, all the fans and students, they were 100 percent behind us," Harrick said. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate that." Jarvis Hayes banked in a 12-footer with 14 seconds remaining, providing a respite from the trouble engulfing the Georgia program. The NCAA is investigating charges made by former player Tony Cole, who claims assistant coach Jim Harrick Jr. paid some of his bills and committed academic fraud. Harrick Jr. was suspended with pay last week, but watched the game from a tunnel near the Georgia bench. "I love our guys," the senior Harrick said. "They played their guts out. It has been an unbelievable week for us." Florida (24-5, 12-3 Southeastern Conference) had a chance at a final shot, but Matt Walsh slipped trying to penetrate and David Lee couldn't get the ball off before the buzzer. "It was a disappointing last possession," Gators coach Billy Donovan said. "We had no penetration and no one wanted to take the last shot." Georgia (18-8, 10-5) was playing its second game against a top three team in three days. On Sunday, the Bulldogs lost to No. 2 Kentucky 74-66. Harrick denied Cole's allegations, calling him "a vindictive young man." The NCAA and the school are investigating, casting a pall over the Bulldogs with tournament time approaching. "We wanted to make a statement," Hayes said. "We wanted to make a statement that all this stuff happening off the court is not bothering us on the court." Indeed, the Bulldogs were able to put aside their troubles for a couple of hours, defeating the Gators in a thrilling game. The lead changed hands three times in the final 39 seconds, beginning with Ezra Williams' 3-pointer that put Georgia ahead 80-79. Matt Bonner drove into the lane to hit a basket that put the Gators back on top, 81-80, with 23 seconds left. Georgia called a timeout and set up a play to isolate Hayes on the left side. He faked Justin Hamilton to the court and knocked down the game-winning shot. "I knew he had backed up a little," Hayes said. "I got a great look at the basket." Said Donovan, "We had the matchup we were looking for with Justin Hamilton on Jarvis Hayes. Jarvis just made a big-time shot." After Florida's final possession came up short, the Georgia faithful stormed the court to celebrate. They mobbed Harrick when he stopped for an interview, showing their support for the embattled coach. "We really came together in this game," Harrick said. Hayes scored 21 points and Williams added 20 for the Bulldogs, who shot 51.5 percent (34-of-66) from the field. "It shows we have a lot of guys with a lot of character on this team to be able to block it out," Williams said. "I know a lot of people are thinking it is affecting us, but not once we are between the white lines." Florida shot 50 percent, but it wasn't enough to sweep the season series against the Bulldogs. The Gators won the first meeting in Gainesville when Anthony Roberson hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer for a 69-66 triumph. Bonner led Florida with 24 points, while Lee added 18. The Gators led much of the game. Georgia finally took its first lead, 60-58, when Rashad Wright hit a driving layup with 9:07 remaining. Florida, which hopes to land a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, dropped to 4-3 against ranked teams this season. "This is a hard loss," Donovan said. "I felt like we couldn't stop them and they couldn't stop us." Georgia, meanwhile, certainly helped its tournament positioning even as the program faces some rough times. "It was a one-point game that either team could have won,"
Harrick said, "but I told Billy we needed it more than he did."
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