Spring Break
Men's basketball team ready for exhibition play
NICK PARKER
Issue date: 11/6/09 Section: Sports
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However, in recent years, the NCAA has banned the use of games against these traveling exhibition teams and a new option has emerged: scrimmaging against Division I opponents.
The catch?
No fans (and no concession dollars), no media, and no publicity can be issued from either participating school about the game. It is strictly an opportunity for two coaches to learn about their squad. Unfortunately, they have to do so without the pressure of fans and the bright lights attached.
Georgia began taking this route with one of their two preseason allotments last season when they traveled north up I-85 for a closed scrimmage with Clemson prior to the season.
Bulldogs' head coach Mark Fox continued this game when he came to Georgia, taking the Bulldogs to Little John Coliseum for a closed scrimmage with Oliver Purnell's No. 24 ranked Tigers, Saturday.
The game consisted of three 20-minute halfs with the scoreboard resetting at the start of each half.
"I think scrimmages can be good if you play the right people and do it the right way. It was a good experience for us at Clemson," Fox said. "This team needed to play against somebody else."
The Bulldogs fared better than you might expect against one of the ACC's top teams, trading wins of each half with the Tigers and tying them in one half, according to senior Albert Jackson.
"I think we stacked up great," Jackson said. "I have no complaints about our scrimmage. We played with them or outplayed them during the scrimmage. I think it gave us a lot more confidence because we were better than they thought we were going to be."
