College basketball can bring some exciting moments. This year, my Georgia Bulldogs have struggled in conference play after a strong start to the season. On Tuesday night, we faced the Florida Gators, a bitter conference rival and the third-best team in the nation according to the polls.
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We haven’t beaten the Gators since 2019, and they were on a 12-game winning streak against us when they came to Athens on Tuesday night. The Bulldog players thought of this game as a mission, especially since they haven’t played as well in conference games and because Coach Mike White used to coach at Florida.
I didn’t get to watch or listen to much of the game because I was at small group at church, but I kept up with the score on my phone. (I know, I know — I promise I paid attention and participated in the discussion.) The Dawgs came out of the box strong; at one point in the first half, we had a 26-point lead. At the half, we were up by 16.
When I got in the car and tuned into 960 the Ref to listen to the rest of the game, my worst fear was coming true. Florida was slowly but surely cutting into the lead. They’re one of the top teams in the country, so it made sense that they would play tough. Besides, we’ve had a bad habit of blowing leads in the second half.
Our lead shrunk consistently, and with about a minute left in the game, Florida took the lead for the first time. My heart sank, but I didn’t give up. Neither did the team or the raucous crowd at Stegeman Coliseum.
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The Dawgs stood firm and retook the lead. As both teams traded foul shots in the waning seconds of the game, the crowd got even more excited, especially the student section. One of the biggest concerns for UGA was students and fans storming the court after the game.
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The Southeastern Conference has a policy that prevents court-storming until the court is clear. A first offense results in a $100,000 fine that goes to the other school. Athletic Director Josh Brooks has been diligent about giving students incentives to avoid storming the court, including special food giveaways. After some games, the team storms the student section instead.
The last few games haven’t given the students much opportunity or desire to storm the court, so the idea of beating Florida was a big lure to celebrate. Brooks had a plan, and it paid off as the seconds ticked away.
In the last few minutes of the game, the announcer reminded students that they couldn’t enter the court until the Gators and the officials had left. There would be a 90-second countdown that would allow a buffer. Brooks stood in front of the student section, and head football coach Kirby Smart encouraged students and fans to wait.
Kirby Smart and UGA AD Josh Brooks both talked to Georgia students to not enter the floor until UF was completely off. That saved Georgia a massive fine there.. pic.twitter.com/3lf9GN8NRo
— Rusty Mansell (@RustyMansell_) February 26, 2025
Kirby Smart was pumped pic.twitter.com/2TUREi220B
— Radi Nabulsi (@RadiNabulsi) February 26, 2025
Brooks even counted down the last few seconds.
Georgia AD Josh Brooks counting down the 1:30 with the students until they are allowed to storm the court without getting a fine. Then it’s “C’mon” https://t.co/cX5LMloHG1
— Radi Nabulsi (@RadiNabulsi) February 26, 2025
“Georgia fans showed it’s possible to storm the court for a postgame celebration — and to be polite at the same time,” reported Charles Odum at the Associated Press.
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“Perhaps the biggest surprise was fans followed the instructions, even though the win over Florida, one of Georgia’s biggest rivals, ended the Gators’ streak of 12 consecutive wins in the series while also providing the Bulldogs with an important boost to their NCAA Tournament hopes,” Odum added.
The SEC said that it wouldn’t fine the university because fans handled the situation so politely.
“Last night proved once again why we have the best students in the country, and I want to personally thank them for waiting to rush the floor,” Brooks told the Athens Banner-Herald. “Our students have bought in and helped create a tremendous home court advantage. They have been with us all year long and have made the difference in so many of our big home wins.”
Steg went crazy last night 🔊#GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/ukFKRBR1oZ
— Georgia Basketball (@UGABasketball) February 26, 2025
You just had to be there 🎞️ pic.twitter.com/eMReg6fzcq
— Georgia Basketball (@UGABasketball) February 26, 2025
It was a heck of a win and a heck of a night. I kind of wish I could’ve been there.
