Georgia’s rapid improvement in men’s basketball under coach Mark Fox has been accompanied by a rapid increase in home attendance.
A fourth consecutive Stegeman Coliseum sellout is expected tonight when Florida visits. Georgia had two home sellouts in Fox’s debut season a year ago and didn’t have any in the 10,523-seat facility the two previous seasons.
“One of the things that I felt like was important here was that we re-establish an atmosphere in the building and create some sort of home-court advantage,” Fox said Monday. “What our fans have done for us is really create the college basketball experience that is so prevalent in our game. When our team plays here and when recruits come here and when our fans come here, they get to participate in the experience that college basketball is all about.
“It does make me feel good, because you want people to appreciate what your team is doing.”
Fox’s Bulldogs are 14-4 overall and 3-2 in Southeastern Conference play, and they are tied for second in the East with Kentucky and South Carolina. Florida leads the division at 4-1.