Georgia men’s basketball team loses their 4th straight SEC matchup in Columbia, MO to Missouri. The Dawgs are now 11-9, 1-6 in SEC play.
The Georgia Bulldogs men’s basketball team dropped a close one Tuesday night in Columbia to the Missouri Tigers by a score of 72-69.
The Dawgs have now lost four straight games, all of them being to SEC opponents.
Georgia led by as many as 20 points in the second half, thanks to freshman guard Anthony Edwards scoring 23 points, leading all players on the night. Senior guard Tyree Crump put up 13 for the Dawgs as well as freshman forward Toumani Camara tacking on another 12.
The Bulldogs came out hot offensively but skidded to a halt later in the second half, sparking an offensive run from the Tigers. Missouri’s senior forward Reed Nikko capitalized on the Dawgs cold second half shooting, finishing with a career 13 points, 11 of them coming in the second half surge.
“Momentum is always up for grabs,” Tom Crean said in a postgame interview. “And in the second half, Reed Nikko took momentum from us. Reed Nikko changed the energy of the game for them.”
Nikko also had a game saving play, blocking Edwards while up two with only nine seconds left in regulation.
Three Missouri players scored in double digits with junior guard Dru Smith leading the Tigers with 16.
Missouri freshman forward Kobe Brown was emotional for this game. Brown was named by his father after the late Kobe Bryant and wears number 24 after Bryant. Following the tragic news of the NBA legend and his daughters passing, Brown talked about Kobe Bryant postgame.
“I was bummed,” said Brown. “It took a toll. I send my regards to all the families that were involved in the crash.”
What looked like a promising, potential NCAA Tournament season is now on the line with very slim chances of the Dawgs being alive in March. According to TR Brackets, Georgia now has a 2.2% chance of making the tournament. Losing the past 4 SEC games moves the Bulldogs to 11-9 on the season with a 1-6 record in conference play.
With a 2.2% chance being very unlikely, things aren’t looking good for the Dawg faithful … but you’re saying there’s a chance.
Georgia continues their late season SEC play this Saturday vs Texas A&M at home. Tipoff is set for 1:00 p.m. EST on SEC Network.
Somehow already past the midpoint of the college basketball season, the 2020 NBA Draft is starting to shape up with far more clear rankings.
Somehow already past the midpoint of the college basketball season, the 2020 NBA draft is starting to shape up with far more clear rankings.
As always, we examine the most trusted analysts to give us the best idea of a consensus for what the upcoming draft class will look like in June. The latest 2020 NBA mock drafts from experts at ESPN, CBS Sports, SI.com, Bleacher Report, NBADraft.net, The Athletic and USA Today Sports Media Group’s Rookie Wire were used for these rankings.
The top four players (Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, James Wiseman and Cole Anthony) have remained the exact same despite none of the latter three players being active for various different reasons.
Meanwhile, Iowa State sophomore point guard Tyrese Haliburton entered the Top 5 and replaced 19-year-old Israeli prospect Deni Avdija – who has not seen much playing time in the Euroleague.
Included below are brief scouting reports for senior guards who have improved their draft stock the most since our last update. These players listed are all four-year NCAA players who could be ready to make the jump to the NBA like Josh Hart and Malcolm Brogdon did in their respective classes.
MARKUS HOWARD, MARQUETTE
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Aggregate Mock Draft Rank: 46
One of the most important things to know about Marquette senior Markus Howard is that despite the fact he has four years of collegiate experience, he is just 20 years old. Few teams operate their offense through one player quite like Golden Eagles do with Howard, who has taken 42.5 percent of their total field goal attempts. Fortunately, the guard brags one of the most efficient and prolific jump shots among all NCAA players. Howard operates well when he is shooting off the catch and off the dribble, which will make him a good fit for almost any offense in the NBA. He is currently averaging 28.4 points per game while shooting 42.5 percent on three-pointers. Similarly, no guard in college has been fouled more often than Howard has thus far. He should be a lock win Big East Player of the Year and should be a strong contender for the National Player of the Year, too. As a pro, he can likely become a spark-plug scoring option off the bench. His draft stock has improved from No. 68 up to No. 46 month-over-month.
PAYTON PRITCHARD, OREGON
(Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
Aggregate Mock Draft Rank: 47
Oregon senior guard Payton Pritchard was a Top-50 recruit coming into the Pac-12 back in 2016. He attended West Linn High School, where he was able to lead his squad to four consecutive state titles. That accomplishment was an especially impressive feat considering the program had only won the OSAA Boys Basketball Championship once before and it was way back in 1997. He has since played for the Ducks in the Final Four (2017) and also won MVP of the Pac-12 Tournament last season. He is currently averaging 19.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists with 1.7 steals per game. His assist rate (32.7 percent) is Top 20 among seniors and he has connected on 40.7 percent of his three-pointers. Now more than halfway through the season, he is the heavy favorite to win Pac-12 Player of the Year and could be a sleeper for National Player of the Year as well. He has leaped from No. 96 in December all the way to No. 47 now in January.
SKYLAR MAYS, LSU
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Aggregate Mock Draft Rank: 57
During his senior year of high school, Skylar Mays was actually teammates with Howard at Findlay Prep. Also on the roster was 2019 first-rounder PJ Washington and Toronto Raptors two-way wing Oshae Brissett. For what it is worth, their roster also had current college basketball standouts Tristan Clark (Baylor) and Lamine Diane (CSUN). Their team has already sent tons of prospects into the NBA and Mays could very well be the next in line. He is a potential 3-and-D threat, averaging 1.4 three-pointers and 2.1 steals per game for the LSU Tigers as an NCAA senior. Meanwhile, LSU’s adjusted offensive rating (116.6) ranks Top 5 in college basketball. Along with Reggie Perry (Mississippi State) as well as Kerry Blackshear Jr. (Florida), Mays has a strong candidacy to win SEC Player of the Year. He has jumped from No. 90 last month to No. 57 this month.
The Georgia Bulldogs are in need of a win after Mississippi State thrashed them on Saturday in Starkville, dropping them to eleventh place in the SEC early on in conference play.
On Tuesday, the Dawgs will get a chance to avenge another previous loss this season to the Kentucky Wildcats, in a game UGA led at halftime but faltered down the stretch to lose in front of a packed Stegeman Coliseum.
In order to beat the Wildcats this time around in enemy territory, the Dawgs will need to play a much more physical brand of basketball than they did during the matchup on January 7th, in which Kentucky dominated the glass in the second half and slowed the game down to play at their pace.
UGA will also need freshman sensation Anthony Edwards to replicate the Herculean performance he displayed last week in a home win over Tennessee, in which he scored 20 points in the first half alone.
Needless to say, this will not be an easy matchup for Tom Crean and company. We’ll see how they fare in this tough SEC contest.
The Georgia Bulldogs were in desperate need of a spirit-boosting win on Wednesday night after two straight losses to open up SEC play, and they got it in the form of an 80-63 home domination of the Tennessee Volunteers.
The Dawgs took control of this game from the opening tip, with freshman phenom Anthony Edwards pouring in 20 points in the opening half to make it his highest scoring first half of the season. Georgia led by double digits throughout most of the first half and all of the second half.
The Dawgs shot a flaming 44% from three-point range and 48% percent overall from the field, a stark contrast from their cold shooting outing in Auburn days ago. Edwards would finish with 26 points including 7/8 from the charity stripe.
Georgia now sets it sights on a road contest against Mississippi State on Saturday.
We are getting closer to a point in the NCAA and international seasons to get a better idea of what the 2020 NBA Draft class may look like.
We are getting closer to a point in the NCAA and international seasons to get a better idea of what the 2020 NBA Draft class may look like.
Midway through the campaign, it is nearly impossible to predict early entrant decisions. But as the board begins to materialize with a more clear indication of who could be a legitimate help to NBA teams next season, it is worth it to revisit a full mock draft factoring in where each team will be selecting.
Note that some highly-rated freshmen (e.g. Florida’s Scottie Lewis and Tre Mann, Florida State’s Patrick Williams, LSU’s Trendon Watford, Kentucky’s Kahlil Whitney as well as Duke’s Wendell Moore and Matthew Hurt) were not included because of their disappointing first-year campaigns. As such, they are likely to return to school for a sophomore season and improve their draft stock to where it once was.
Typically, selecting the best player available was the biggest factor though team fit was also carefully considered.
All stats are updated through January 14, 2020. The draft order is set via Tankathon on January 15, 2020.
1. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: LaMelo Ball, Illawarra Hawks
(Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)
Guard, 6-foot-7, 18 years old
This is a draft where the No. 1 pick might not be selected in that position in prior classes. While there may not be a unanimous selection at this point in the season like Zion Williamson was last season, the youngest Ball brother arguably has the highest ceiling of anyone in this class. He was nearly putting up a triple-double each appearance against professional basketball players in the NBL, scoring 17.1 points with 7.9 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game. He was not as accurate on his jumper as originally expected but he has also not a player who lacks confidence; expect him to keep shooting those and his three will develop over time. With his size and versatility on offense, he makes the most sense in the pole spot and his size would also allow him to guard bigger opponents, making him an option for nearly any team in the league even one as stacked as Golden State.
2. ATLANTA HAWKS: Anthony Edwards, Georgia
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Wing, 6-foot-5, 18 years old
Under head coach Tom Crean, the Georgia freshman has been a standout prospect. He is averaging 18.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game during his first collegiate season. But a lot of his output has been helped by his high usage rate. He is shooting just 28.1 percent on jump shots in a set offense, per Synergy, and is shooting just 24.6 percent off the dribble. He is also taking too many shots from deep midrange, shooting 25.8 percent on these looks. Fortunately, Edwards has been an above-average defender and is averaging 1.4 steals per game. The young star can stay in his hometown for this pick, too.
3. NEW YORK KNICKS: Killian Hayes, Ratiopharm Ulm
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Guard, 6-foot-5, 18 years old
Hayes has exceptional court vision and instincts as well as a true point guard mentality to create opportunities for his teammates. He is averaging 17.2 points and 8.3 assists per 36 minutes while facing professional talent in the Euroleague. He is also capable of creating his own shot off the dribble and many of his own buckets have been unassisted. As noted by Bleacher Report draft expert Jonathan Wasserman, the prospect is shooting 153-of-178 (85.9 percent) on free throws since the start of his 2018-19 campaign. Hayes has a very natural shooting stroke and is someone whose hype should continue to grow.
4. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: Onyeka Okongwu, USC
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Big, 6-foot-9, 19 years old
The player who has helped his draft stock the most is Okongwu, who is putting up 16.9 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. He has 32 dunks so far this season, which ranks sixth-best among all NCAA players and can be one of the more immediately impactful lob threats in the NBA. The big man is 13-for-18 (72.2 percent) when rolling to the basket in pick-and-roll sets, which shows how he can fit into a pro scheme. On the defensive end, his block percentage (10.7 percent) trails just one player in college basketball this year. He would play a fantastic two-man game with Darius Garland and he can help their frontcourt depth with the likely departure of Kevin Love.
5. WASHINGTON WIZARDS: RJ Hampton, New Zealand Breakers
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Guard, 6-foot-5, 19 years old
The Washington Wizards are far from being close to a winning franchise but they do have extraordinary talent on the wing with Bradley Beal. If they add to that by selecting Hampton, who can develop under the leadership of Beal, the fans can sell some hope to a franchise that has gotten a taste of it with the impressive play of Rui Hachimura during his rookie campaign thus far. Like Hachimura, however, Hampton will need some time to develop.
6. DETROIT PISTONS: Tyrese Haliburton, Iowa State
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Guard, 6-foot-5, 20 years old
The Iowa State sophomore is one of the most polarizing prospects in recent memory. He is producing 16.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game so far this season. The guard has been a solid shooter, connecting on 41.3 percent of his attempts from three-point range. His assist rate (39.1 percent) ranks Top 5 among all underclassmen in the NBA. Haliburton also fits the bill as perhaps the lengthiest guard in this draft class, measured with a 7-foot wingspan. As a defender, the guard is averaging 2.6 steals per game and his steal rate (4.0 percent) ranks third-best in the Big 12. He seems like a perfect point guard of the future for the rebuilding Pistons, who don’t have much of a direction.
7. CHICAGO BULLS: James Wiseman, USA
(Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
Big, 7-foot-1, 19 years old
The biggest reason why Wiseman is this high on draft boards is that he was the No. 1 overall player on RSCI, which combines all of the top high school rankings in the country. The other biggest factor is his massive size, notably his 7-foot-6 wingspan. While it will be hard to see what else he is able to add to his game while he is away from the NCAA following an incredibly brief stint with the Memphis Tigers, he can be an appealing development project. Much like Edwards in New York, the bright lights of Chicago would be an awesome way for Wiseman to start his professional career.
8. CHARLOTTE HORNETS: Isaac Okoro, Auburn
(Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Wing, 6-foot-6, 19 years old
The hyperathletic freshman wing has shown a nice mix of offensive and defensive upside for his undefeated Auburn team, averaging 13.2 points with 4.5 rebounds per game. His jump shot is still a work in progress but he is finishing well near the basket, connecting on 65-for-88 (73.9 percent) for looks within five feet of the basket. As a defender, he is elite guarding the perimeter and has also averaged 0.9 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. They need a strong defender alongside their young backcourt and after hitting well on the PJ Washington selection, this could be another fantastic pick.
9. NEW ORLEANS PELICANS: Obi Toppin, Dayton
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Forward, 6-foot-9, 22 years old
The New Orleans Pelicans are going to be a team likely defined by Zion Williamson for years to come. Much like Williamson, Toppin is a high-flyer who currently leads the NCAA in dunks with 3.2 per game. But he won’t clog the paint from the dunker spot as he is averaging 2.6 three-point shot attempts per game. When determining potential fits for the Pelicans, it is worth considering their ability in transition offense because of their schemes. As such, it is important to note Toppin is 27-for-38 (71.1 percent) on these opportunities.
10. SACRAMENTO KINGS: Vernon Carey, Duke
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Big, 6-foot-10, 18 years old
The Kings could continue their tradition of drafting big men from Duke by adding Carey to the mix. He would join Marvin Bagley and Harry Giles as former Blue Devils in the frontcourt for Sacramento. Carey has been an elite college basketball player, averaging 17.4 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. He leads all freshmen in defensive rebound percentage (28.0 percent), ranks Top 5 among freshmen in total dunks (24) and Top 10 in block percentage (7.8 percent) as well. If he eventually adds a more constant three-pointer to his arsenal, he could be a starter in the NBA very soon.
11. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES: Nico Mannion, Arizona
(Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Guard, 6-foot-3, 19 years old
Mannion is averaging 14.4 points and 6.3 assists per game, already an elite distributor at the NCAA level. He is a high-level scorer and passes well out of the pick-and-roll and his assist rate (36.5 percent) currently ranks as third-best among freshman so far this season. His assist-to-turnover ratio (2.3) is a good indication of his instincts. While he may be too young for a starting role next season, he is someone who projects in the first unit for a long time.
12. PHOENIX SUNS: Precious Achiuwa, Memphis
(Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
Forward, 6-foot-9, 19 years old
After the absence of Wiseman, the Memphis Tigers have turned to Achiuwa as the face of their team under Penny Hardaway. He has responded well and his defensive rebound percentage (25.4 percent) leads the American Athletic Conference. As a defender, his block percentage (7.4 percent) ranks third-best in the conference as well. He has turned it on as a scorer lately but he would not be leaned on as the primary option for a team with Devin Booker leading the charge.
13. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS: Aleksej Pokusevski, Olympiacos B
Forward, 7-foot, 18 years old
One of the most fascinating, underrated prospects for the 2020 NBA Draft is currently playing in the Greek HEBA A2 league. With a 7-foot-3 wingspan, Pokusevski has the ability to play a bit bigger than his already impressive 7-foot frame. He is averaging 16.9 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.4 three-pointers per 36 minutes. The Serbian-born prospect has also connected on 32.6 percent from three-point range. As a defender, his size has helped him secure 2.8 blocks per 36 minutes as well. Portland could play him in several different places but could provide his most value as a necessary help on the wing.
14. SAN ANTONIO SPURS: Josh Green, Arizona
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Wing, 6-foot-6, 19 years old
The Arizona freshman was a fantastic scorer on the AAU circuit playing for West Coast Elite, averaging 20.2 points per game. This season, he has put up 12.9 points per game for the Wildcats. Green has also grabbed 5.1 rebounds per game, which has allowed him to be an interesting option operating as the ball handler in a transition offense. Green is currently averaging 1.35 points per possession on these opportunities, per Synergy, which ranks in the 95th percentile. He also has a 6-foot-10 wingspan, which will help him a lot on the defensive side of the ball.
The Kentucky Wildcats overcame a six point halftime deficit to defeat the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens by a score of 78-69 this Tuesday night.
Kentucky pulled away late Tuesday night to beat Tom Crean’s Georgia Bulldogs at home by a score of 78 – 69.
What may have seemed like an easy conference victory for the Wildcats, the final score doesn’t quite represent the type of game the Dawgs put up.
Georgia finished out the first half leading Kentucky by a score of 37 – 31, led by no other than freshman guard and future NBA lottery pick, Anthony Edwards. Edwards, the Atlanta native finished the contest with a game high 23 points on 8/17 shooting as well as 3/9 from three-point range. Joining Edwards in the double digit category was Jordan Harris, who finished the night with 10 points, helping to electrify the sellout crowd in Athens. Edwards also tacked on 5 rebounds and 2 assists, but it wasn’t quite enough to beat John Calipari’s disciplined squad.
Kentucky featured a much more balanced offense, with four players scoring in double digits. Kentucky spread the floor very nicely and were able to get good spacing for high quality shots.
Leading the Wildcat charge were freshman guard Tyrese Maxey and junior forward Nick Richards. Maxey finished with 17 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists and 4 blocks while Richards had 17 of his own, going along with 7 rebounds.
Kentucky struggled rebounding the ball in the first half as well as shooting free throws, but the Dawgs poor three-point shooting helped the Wildcats stay in the game. Georgia led by as many as nine points in the first half but just couldn’t hang on late in the 2nd.
Immanuel Quickley hit a three-pointer with 8:09 left in the game to give Kentucky their first lead of the 2nd half. The game remained close until Quickely hit another dagger three with only 3:59 remaining, giving Kentucky a 66 – 61 lead that eventually snowballed into a Wildcat victory and an agonizing defeat for the Bulldogs.
“I feel like we just didn’t play with toughness in the second half,” Edwards said postgame. “I played bad defense. We all played bad defense.”
Coming off a big upset victory over Memphis, this win would’ve given the Dawgs major brownie points in NCAA Tournament talks. It was a hard fought game until the last minute and shows Georgia can hoop with anyone this season.
Here at Geogia's Stegeman Coliseum, where 31 NBA scouts are on hand to see Georgia's Anthony Edwards take on Kentucky's Tyrese Maxey in a battle of likely lotto picks pic.twitter.com/TwKEWWfAr5
Behind a balanced offensive performance, Tom Crean’s squad outlasted a red-hot Memphis team 65-62 in an early season classic.
Georgia’s men’s basketball team marched into Memphis to face a Tigers team in the middle of a ten-game winning streak. Correction: at the end of a ten-game winning streak.
Behind a balanced offensive performance featuring four Bulldogs scoring double-digit figures, Tom Crean’s squad outlasted a red-hot Memphis 65-62 in an early season classic. The game featured over twenty lead changes and no team ever led by more than eight points.
Junior Rayshaun Hammonds led the way for the Dawgs, scoring 15 and securing 12 rebounds.
Freshman star Anthony Edwards had a less-than-memorable afternoon, shooting 4-17 from the field, but found some rhythm at a crucial time. Seven of his thirteen points were scored during a run that brought Georgia back from being down 39-47 to being up 51-48 across a span of three minutes and ten seconds.
Graduate transfer Donnell Gresham, Jr. posted 12 points and freshman spark plug Sahvir Wheeler racked up 10 off the bench.
Georgia improves to 10-3 on the season and has won four straight. The Dawgs’ next game takes place on Tuesday night, when they welcome the #14 Kentucky Wildcats to Stegeman Coliseum.
