2006 Awards

AUBURN — Doug Shows, Bert Smith and Jeff Nichols coped well here Saturday. They had to officiate the worst of Southeastern Conference basketball in a down year, so they just whistled while they worked.

They whistled on all 50 fouls charged to Auburn and Georgia, 33 in the second half. They whistled on many of the combined 40 turnovers, including Auburn’s season-high 24.

Throw in team and television timeouts, and they whistled away a two-and-a-half-hour game before a crowd estimated at 6,459 in Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum.

Some 62 missed shots and 52 free throws (whistle) after the opening tip, Auburn felt like whistling. The Tigers survived Quantez Robertson’s six missed free throws (whistle) between the 55- and 31-second marks of the second half to bag their first SEC victory this season, 66-(whistle)-65.

“It was an interesting game,” said Auburn coach Jeff Lebo, whose team (whistle) improved to 9-8, 1-5 SEC. “I’m proud of our team. They battled through some adversity. Despite missing some free throws and having the turnovers, they still found a way to win.”

Or did Georgia (12-8, 2-5) find a way to lose? Perhaps a little of both.

The Bulldogs committed 21 fouls (whistle) in the second half, putting Auburn in the bonus (whistle) at 15:34 and the double bonus (whistle-whistle) at 13:17.

Auburn took advantage. With Georgia’s guards charging at them (whistle), Auburn’s guards caught them with dribble-drives to draw fouls (whistle).

“It made a difference in our offense,” said Auburn (whistle) sophomore guard Frank Tolbert, who brought 13 points off the bench. “We knew they were in foul trouble, so we tried to attack more to get to the line and get easy points.”

The Tigers hit 17 of 29 free throws (whistle) in the second half, 22 of 39 for the interminable (whistle) game.

Little wonder that Georgia (whistle) coach Dennis Felton skipped the postgame news (whistle) conference. He had to catch a plane for a recruiting trip.

“The second half hurt us,” Felton said in quotes provided by an Auburn sports information intern who took notes from the coach’s radio show. “There was a lot of fouling going on, especially in the second half.

“.. They played five guards on the court, and they were able to take advantage of it with our post players.”

Georgia center Dave Bliss, forward Younes Idrissi and guard Channing Toney fouled (whistle) out. Fouls (whistle) shortened Auburn forward Korvotney Barber’s day to 12 minutes.

More fouls (whistle) were there for the calling.

Georgia’s Levi Stukes slipped in front of Auburn guard Ronny LeMelle in the second half, then reached up and yanked LeMelle’s jersey out from his trunks as LeMelle tried to drive. No call.

Tolbert twice got away with arm slaps while contesting shots in the final stretch, prompting players on Georgia’s bench to jump from their seats in disbelief.

The Bulldogs did not bemoan fouls (whistle) that were called.

“Some games are going to be like that,” said Georgia guard Sundiata Gaines, who scored a game-high 18 points. “Both teams were playing tough defense and trying to cause turnovers. We need to be a little bit more patient and clean our play up a little bit.”

Same for Auburn.

The Tigers committed 13 first-half turnovers (whistle). For the game, they committed four 5-second violations (whistle), two by freshman forward Rasheem Barrett on in-bounds passes.

Robertson chased down an over-and-back violation (whistle) in the first half, one of his eight (whistle) turnovers. Barrett, LeMelle and Tolbert had four apiece.

The first half saw LeMelle drop an uncontested pass from the left elbow. Georgia’s Mike Mercer fielded the bounce cleanly and broke for an easy layup.

On the up side, Auburn freshman forward Josh Dollard turned in 16 points. He started for freshman forward Joey Cameron, who sat out a one-game suspension for an unspecified violation (whistle) of team rules.

Barber turned in nine rebounds, including three key putbacks. He had two putbacks on missed free throws (whistle), and Auburn outrebounded Georgia 45-32.

Auburn matched its SEC start of last season, winning after an 0-5 start.

“It helps, no doubt about it,” Lebo said. “We still have areas where we struggle in, but it helps to have a win.

“... Having our next four of five games on the road will be tough, though.”