ATHENS — Georgia coach Mike White allowed his frustrations to boil over on Saturday after the Bulldogs lost for the sixth straight time.
It’s understandable.
White’s Georgia team has done just enough to prove it can compete with any team in the league, yet still not get the program over the hump.
The program’s NCAA tournament hopes are all but gone, and an NIT bid seems questionable after Florida scored an 88-82 win over the Bulldogs before the sold-out Stegeman Coliseum crowd on Saturday.
It wasn’t as simple as the Gators being the more talented, longer and better team on Saturday, though all those things are true.
White had his team coached up for Florida, and he adjusted his starting lineup for the fifth time in the past six games. No details were overlooked.
Georgia hit its first seven shots and built an 11-point first half lead, all was well.
But then those same Bulldogs -- the ones that won 10 straight earlier this season and beat three ACC teams -- reminded everyone how they struggle to handle success.
Those players who transferred off the benches of other big-name programs, or out of starring roles at more anonymous schools, lost the discipline and continuity that made them so special earlier this season.
And the Gators, now winners of three of their past four SEC road games, and seven of the past eight overall, showed everyone why they are a projected NCAA tourney team.
The Georgia crowd was roaring its support when White shared how his players appeared to be getting a little too full of themselves.
“When you score, they can be as loud as they want, that’s great, (but) you can’t jog back, this isn’t high school basketball,” White said.
“You can’t look up in the crowd. We’re not good enough to do that. So Monday, we’ll continue to work on sprinting back and getting in a stance.”
White added that Georgia has to “guard a lot better and make simpler decisions with the basketball … you can’t win in this league unless you’re most accountable than that and disciplined than that.”
Indeed, the Bulldogs turned the ball over 10 times in the second half after committing just four turnovers in the first 20 minutes in taking a 46-40 lead into intermission.
White took the job at Georgia intent on building a tournament team, and he chose to give opportunities to these players he has suiting up with the belief they were capable of getting it done.
But sloppy turnovers, questionable shot selection and a lack of hustle getting back on defense does not inspire faith, and it reflects directly on the players and coaching staff.
They are all in it together, hence White’s use of the word “We.”
When programs struggle, it’s always interesting to hear whether a coach is saying “We” or “They,” and White is very much a “We” kind of coach.
“We did some stuff tonight, you could say out of character,” White said, “but … unfortunately that’s our character right now.”
Georgia basketball is underachieving, and White knows it, and it’s hitting him hard.
To be clear, White is not giving up hope on this team, so much as he’s acknowledging the necessary support is in place.
“Absolutely, we’re going to get it done here, and we’re going to be prepared on Wednesday, and have a great practice on Monday, I wish we could practice in an hour,” White said, asked about his confidence in the future of the program.
“I was really impressed, mid-second half, we go on a little run, it’s really, really loud in there, as loud as I’ve ever heard in this building.
“At one point I look around the entire area, and said ‘my gosh this place is full and we’ve struggled lately, I don’t want to repeat our losing streak again right here.”
White explained that’s why he’s disappointed for the fans as well as his players.
Few things are more disappointing to Georgia fans than losing to Florida — in anything.
White surely feels the same, now 0-4 at UGA against the team he formerly coached, these Bulldogs sinking fast in the SEC standings.
Georgia plays at Vanderbilt at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday before welcoming No. 12 Auburn to Stegeman Coliseum for a 6 p.m tip next Saturday.
