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Quarterman developing consistency in new role

Georgia visits the PMAC on Tuesday night (8 p.m. Central/ESPN) to take on a LSU team, which is currently in a three-way tie for second place in the Southeastern Conference.

Quarterman is adjusting to playing coming off the bench
Quarterman is adjusting to playing coming off the bench

Last season, there may not have been a more significant victory in SEC play for the Tigers than their one over the Bulldogs at the PMAC. After losing at Missouri in its SEC opener, LSU found itself down by nine points in overtime to Georgia.

Sparked by Georgia native Tim Quarterman, the Tigers erased that nine-point deficit and won the game during the second overtime. Quarterman had a career night with 27 points, five rebounds and five assists. He made six 3-pointers during LSU’s 87-84 victory.

“Georgia was on us the whole game,” said Quarterman, who made all the key plays down in the stretch in the Tigers’ 72-70 victory at Alabama last Saturday. “We kept battling and we made some big plays in the last few minutes to get into a second overtime. We were not going to give up.”

Quarterman has not given up on a junior season which definitely has not gone in the way he had planned. Quarterman’s numbers are similar to last season – 11 points, five rebounds and three assists per game. A season ago, Quarterman averaged 12 points, five rebounds and four assists per game.

However in the past two weeks, Quarterman’s role has drastically changed. He has gone from starter to reserve. For the season, Quarterman is playing 27 minutes per game – seven fewer than a season ago. Quarterman has averaged nine points in 21 minutes per game in the last four games where he has been a substitute.

“You have to be ready when your name is called, so you can make an impact in the game,” Quarterman said. “Coach (Johnny Jones) made an adjustment with me. I didn’t refuse his word. I came off the bench last year. I am being mature. I am trying to make a big impact in a game.”

Quarterman went through an extended period in which he really struggled offensively. In a seven-game stretch, Quarterman scored more than five points just twice – nine against Oral Roberts and 21 against Kentucky. After Quarterman scored only three points at Florida, Jones went to Josh Gray as the starting point guard.

“Josh had done some things and had risen to the occasion,” Jones said. “Josh was the starter last year and then Tim came in during the middle of the season. Tim played extremely well the other day against Alabama. He brought a presence to the floor. He brought leadership, toughness and a sense of urgency.

“I’m very comfortable with either of those guys in the lineup. The important thing is that there is no slippage no matter who comes into the game.”

The Tigers have had six players start at the three perimeter positions so far this season – Quarterman, Gray, Keith Hornsby, Jalyn Patterson, Antonio Blakeney and Brandon Sampson. So, there is great competition to get into the lineup.

“Due to how deep we are at the guard position, you have to play well to be in the game,” senior wing Keith Hornsby said. “Sometimes Tim goes in a shell and he is his own worst enemy. You have to realize that starting a game is not that important. I don’t think (starting) matters to Tim. He is too good not to be on the floor.”

Quarterman has scored in double figures in three of the past four games. He played just ten minutes against Arkansas and had no points. In these four games, Quarterman has shot 52 percent from the field (13-of-25). Quarterman is getting accustomed to coming off the bench.

“The big adjustment is being ready as soon as you come into the game,” Quarterman said. “It really has not been a problem so far. Being on the bench, you can see the way the game is opening up. The team can be going good or bad. If things are good, you can boost the lead. If things are bad, you can do things to bring the team back.”

The victory against Alabama was a critical one for the Tigers, who are in a tie with Kentucky and Florida for second place behind Texas A&M.

“We are growing up as a team,” Quarterman said. “A couple of weeks ago, we would have lost that game. We got some big stops at the end. I am trying to be consistent and do all the hard things. A lot of players look up to me because I’m a junior. I try to lead by example.”

Georgia has won just once away from home this season – last Wednesday at Missouri. The Bulldogs (11-6, 4-3) are coming off a three-point home victory against Arkansas. Georgia has a veteran perimeter group with seniors Kenny Gaines and Charles Mann and junior J.J. Frazier. They are averaging nearly 40 points per game.

However, the Bulldogs’ top performer has been sophomore post player Yante Maten, who is contributing 16 points and eight rebounds per game.

“Mann and Gaines have been there forever and they are always tough,” Hornsby said. “Maten has been huge this year and Frazier has been playing great. I don’t want to be a team that’s unpredictable, but we have been this year. I’m aware of the standings, but I won’t really start paying attention to them until we get to late February.”

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