On Saturday afternoon, Georgia bravely overcame a 21-point deficit in the last 13 minutes to force overtime against Florida.

Even when the Bulldogs scored a 13-2 run at the conclusion of regulation to tie the game 85-85, there would be no locker room celebration or crowds waiting to applaud the team’s return to the Athens airport.

Coach Mike White remarked, “Our fight in the last 15 minutes of the game, and especially the last 10, was high level.”

It certainly was, and a lot of UGA supporters are grateful for it following years of futility in the basketball program marked by double-digit losses and humiliating setbacks that made supporters cringe.

It was therefore remarkable to watch Georgia freshman Blue Cain score the game’s final seven points in regulation by making both of his free throws in a 1-and-1 scenario, a 3-pointer from the corner, and a drive to the basket.

Again, though, it was ultimately a loss, and moral triumphs mean nothing in college basketball’s fast-paced environment. It’s more important to acknowledge how far we have to go than it is to drag UGA down with that dose of reality.

These athletes possess talent and toughness. They are now 4-1 when games are decided by four points or fewer after this setback.

This season, the Bulldogs overcame 17 points behind to win at Florida State and 9 points down to defeat South Carolina on the road, demonstrating their ability to overcome more than just symbolic triumphs.

The game-winning shot maker in each of those crucial road victories, veteran Justin Hill, stumbled in the closing moments of this one.

In a game that was tied, Hill, an explosive Longwood native and second-year transfer, grabbed the ball from Will Richard of Florida with 26 seconds remaining.

Hill was unable to convert a potentially game-winning shot, but White sensibly allowed play to continue. His team is far more effective in transition than on set plays.

Similar to Kirby Smart’s statement on Georgia football, “you’re either elite, or you’re not,” the Georgia basketball team can either qualify for the NCAA tournament or not.

They’re not at the moment.

However, and this is a major “But,” these Bulldogs still have a chance to be the school’s first NCAA tournament appearance since 2015. Fans will swarm Stegeman Coliseum on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. to watch the squad play Alabama (13-6, 5-1), a team that is expected to make the NCAA tournament.

White has always stated that for Georgia to go to the 68-team NCAA tournament, they must improve as the season goes on.

The memo reached RJ Melendez, a 6-7 transfer from Illinois.

With 35 points on 13 of 19 shots, Melendez—who was recently audacious enough to declare that his UGA coaches and teammates were “definitely” NCAA tournament material—was nothing short of extraordinary. Georgia may have turned the corner if Melendez can continue to be that aggressive and hungry, and there’s no reason he can’t.

The hero of UGA’s 68-66 victory over LSU on Wednesday, 7-foot transfer from South Florida, Russell Tchewa, also showed off his muscles against Florida.

Tchewa is beginning to act as though he knows he is running out of time to impress NBA scouts by flexing his 270-pound bulk. Tchewa led an outmanned Georgia front-line that was outrebounded 48–27 by the Gators on Saturday, finishing with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

A closer examination reveals that the Bulldogs were just 9 of 17 when it came to free throws, most likely because of Florida’s infamous “Rowdy Reptiles” student section.

Even though the late comeback was impressive, White made it clear that the hole had been created earlier when the Gators team was losing to loose balls while attempting to advance to an NCAA tournament that would likely include seven or eight SEC schools.

New RPI and Quad have already been released by computers.

However, that depends on how hard these UGA players work in practices and how much time they spend working out alone to get shoots up. If they can make it to the tournament, White has assembled the ideal combination of brave young players and steely-eyed veterans to make a deep run.

The Bulldogs of Sweet 16? Who knows what the season’s last headline will say?

Both White and his team have a lot to prove, and the Florida supporters who abandoned him and ridiculed his family on Saturday almost paid a heavy price.

When Florida visits Athens on February 17, Georgia will have another opportunity to snap the Gators’ nine-game winning streak over the UGA program. Even while Bulldogs supporters won’t be prepared to travel far to cheer on their team, they will definitely mark that home game.

First and foremost, in order to maintain its hopes of earning a spot to the NCAA tournament, Georgia must manage to win three of its next four games.

Nothing would be more satisfying than a victory over the Crimson Tide for Georgia, who is 11-1 at home this season.

Given that Nick Saban has departed the program, the student section is probably already creating some signage regarding the Alabama football team’s imminent downfall.

Conversely, even when his team is losing, White is no longer too timid to encourage them.

White remarked, “These guys aren’t delicate mentally,” shortly after his team’s spirited performance at Florida made up for him.

“This group will return to work collectively on Monday.”

The remaining games of the season are about to begin, with aspirations of making the NCAA Tournament still alive and ahead despite the near calls against Tennessee and Florida that fell well behind the team.