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Georgia's balance bedevils Alabama's Hobbs

Web posted February 5, 1997

By Mike Berardino and Andy Johnston
Staff Writers

Georgia scares Alabama coach David Hobbs for one reason.

``They're a team that you can't concentrate on one or two guys,'' said Hobbs, whose team plays host to the Bulldogs tonight at 8 p.m. ``They're a well-balanced team. They've had a lot of different guys step up and hit big shots down the stretch of games. That's a problem for you. I don't see a weak link with Georgia.''

The Bulldogs are playing well, having won three of their past four games, losing only to Kentucky.

Their 15-5 record (4-4 in the SEC) is the best by a Georgia team at this juncture of the season in 14 years, equaling that of the 1982-83 team that went 24-10 and reached the Final Four.

However, only the Kentucky loss is on the mind of Georgia coach Tubby Smith, who is trying to go to the Sweet 16 for the fourth straight year.

``I just need to sit down with them and talk about working harder,'' Smith said. ``There are some areas where we need more of them to contribute. When you play so many guys, things happen, like mental lapses. We need another win to pull them up and give them some confidence.''

THE BATTLE: Don't tell Dave Odom about Wake Forest's nine-game winning streak against Duke. The Demon Deacons coach doesn't want to hear it.

He's too busy trying to find a way to slow down hot-shooting Trajan Langdon.

``He looks to me like he's completely recovered,'' from a lower leg injury, Odom said. ``I've said it before and I'll say it again: He's the best jump shooter in all of college basketball. I don't think anybody could question that.''

Langdon hit seven 3-point shots in last week's win over North Carolina.

The Blue Devils, who snapped a seven-game losing skid to the Tar Heels, have now won six of their last seven games since an 81-69 home loss to Wake Forest.

``Duke is a much different team from the one we played in January,'' Odom said. ``At that time, like most teams, Duke was still trying to figure out what kind of team they were going to be. Perhaps their three best players now - Jeff Capel, Roshown McLeod and Langdon - were not in that situation back then.

``They can embarrass you. They can embarrass you quick.''

NO RESPECT: Virginia has no qualms about using the Rodney Dangerfield angle to coax maximum production out of its players.

The Cavaliers are now 15-6 overall, 5-4 in the ACC, yet remain unranked and largely overlooked on the national scene.

``I think it definitely can work to our advantage,'' Cavaliers coach Jeff Jones said. ``I would prefer for it to continue going this way, as long as these polls and this perception that's out there doesn't affect the bids that are being handed out at the end of the season. For now, it certainly serves as a motivating factor for our team.''

TIP-INS: Georgia Tech forward Matt Harpring has missed just nine minutes in nine ACC games, including just the final 22.7 seconds in Sunday's loss to Duke. Harpring continues to lead the ACC in minutes per game. .°.°. Tech center Eddie Elisma is still regaining his strength after a week-long bout with the flu. .°.°. LSU coach Dale Brown on playing Mississippi: ``They're like playing a jar of bumblebees. They're all over. They're one of toughest teams to play in the SEC.'' .°.°. Arkansas is leading the the SEC in 3-point percentage at 38.5, and a major reason for that is Pat Bradley, who leads the league at 44.7 percent. .°.°. Brown suspended Louis Earl when he refused to enter Saturday's loss to South Carolina with about one minute remaining. ``Here's a guy with not much talent, but has worked hard,'' Brown said. ``I didn't like that `me' syndrome that emerged itself from Louis' personality, so I suspended him.'' .°.°. C.C. Harrison, North Carolina State's starting point guard and leading scorer, has missed the last two games with a strained muscle in his leg. The injury, suffered when Harrison fell down the stairs, was originally diagnosed as a sprained ankle but has since been updated. .°.°. Wake Forest has beaten Duke in nine straight meetings, including five straight in Winston-Salem. .°.°. Virginia forward Courtney Alexander suffered a sprained ankle in Saturday's win over Florida State. But Cavaliers coach Jeff Jones sounded hopeful Alexander would be ready for Thursday's game at Georgia Tech. .°.°. Duke forward Taymon Domzalski (lower leg) practiced last week for the first time in a month and dressed out against Georgia Tech. Odom said he wouldn't be surprised to see Duke use the 6-10 Domzalzki in tandem with 6-10 Greg Newton against Wake Forest's Twin Towers, Tim Duncan and Loren Woods.