With 6:29 remaining in last night’s game at Kentucky, Sundiata Gaines drilled his only three-pointer of the night off an inbounds pass.  The shot completed an 11-3 run and cut Kentucky’s lead to 55-52, and it looked as if we were in for another close finish.

For the next six minutes plus, Georgia went scoreless.  Georgia’s only points the rest of the way were a Swansey three-pointer with 12 seconds left and the game more or less decided.  Kentucky won 61-55.  Here’s what happened over those six minutes:

• Woodbury missed a three-pointer
• Gaines missed a three-pointer
• Zac Swansey missed a three-pointer
• Terrence Woodbury missed a layup
• Kentucky threw up a desperation three-pointer with the shot clock running out, and Ramel Bradley got the offensive rebound and basket over Swansey
• Albert Jackson mishandled a Gaines pass…turnover
• Gaines missed a shot
• Bliss tried taking the ball at three defenders and came up empty
• Gaines missed a three-pointer
• Humphrey missed a shot

Keep in mind that over that span Kentucky made only one shot themselves.  The Dawgs had six straight possessions with the score 55-52 and a chance to tie or cut into that deficit.  Much like the Vanderbilt game and several other recent conference games, the Dawgs got themselves in a position to earn a win and then shut down.  Fatigue is certainly a factor; Gaines had nothing at all on his shots at the end.  But patience on the offensive end and better use of personnel like Corey Butler might have made a difference even in the face of exhaustion.

Credit to the Dawgs for coming back off the ropes after starting down 20-4.  The recognition that the 2-3 zone wasn’t working saved the game, but the switch to man might have cost the Dawgs later in terms of energy at the end.  The Dawgs did play much better defense, especially in the second half, but the early hole proved to be too much.

In the end, it was a familiar story:  good effort, in a position to win, come away with a loss.