Tag: uga basketball

Georgia projected as No. 8 seed in NCAA Tournament

Don’t sleep on the Georgia Bulldogs’ basketball team

The Georgia Bulldogs have been projected as a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament according to ESPN. Joe Lunardi, who updated his projections on Tuesday, has Georgia playing Utah State in March Madness.

The SEC is looking stacked and has put together a historically good nonconference record. Thirteen of the 16 teams in the SEC are projected to make March Madness. However, SEC conference play will be very challenging and likely reduce this number.

It is early in the season, but Georgia is off to a good start and is already 9-1. The Bulldogs have notable wins over Georgia Tech, St. John’s and Notre Dame.

Georgia is close to being ranked. The Bulldogs received 23 votes in the latest USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll.

“Really good team, and I thought (Grand Canyon) played really well,” Georgia basketball head coach Mike White said after UGA beat Grand Canyon. “I thought they defended at a really high level, and we never found offensive flow. They’ll win 30 games again, and they’ll go back to the tournament. And we’ll look back on this one as a learning experience. Very much a quality win, but we’re fortunate because it could have gone the other way.”

Georgia’s next game is against Buffalo at 7:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, Dec. 19. The Georgia-Buffalo game will be televised on SEC Network+.

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Georgia has a potential first-round NBA draft pick in true freshman Asa Newell along with several other talented newcomers. Georgia basketball begins SEC play on Jan. 4 at Ole Miss.

Georgia basketball upsets No. 20 St. John’s

Georgia Bulldogs basketball team stuns No. 22 St. John’s in an upset victory

This weekend was critical for the Georgia Bulldogs and head coach Mike White for earning a big nonconference win. Georgia lost 80-69 to No. 15 Marquette on Saturday, but picked up a ranked win on Sunday over the No. 20 St. John’s Red Storm.

Bulldogs basketball team faced two ranked teams in the Bahamas and went 1-1. The Bulldogs kept the game close for a long time and were able to upset the Red Storm, winning 66-63.

The game was very physical with four first half technical fouls. The UGA team defense was excellent only allowing a 30 percent field goal percentage in the first half and not allowing the Red Storm to connecting on a three-pointer.  The UGA offense was very efficient shooting over 50 percent from the field and close to 40 percent from three to sustain a 32-28 lead at halftime.

In the second half, the Bulldogs had more adversity against the Red Storm’s  full court pressure, which caused the Bulldogs to turn the ball over 14 more times. To go along with the turnovers key rotation pieces Blue Cain, RJ Godfrey, and Asa Newell all fouled out for Georgia in the second half.

This game highlighted Asa Newell’s significance moving forward, as he led the team with 18 points. Silas Demary Jr. followed with 15 points, while Tyrin Lawrence contributed 11 and nine rebounds to round out the scoring effort.
With a win like this expect the Bulldogs to be in more talks about the NCAA Tournament. Georgia got a premier nonconference win.

UGA basketball named as NCAA Tournament bubble team

The Georgia Bulldogs are 5-0 and play a pair of ranked opponents over the weekend

The Georgia Bulldogs have been named as an NCAA Tournament bubble team according to ESPN. Joe Lunardi, who updated his projections on Tuesday, has Georgia as one of the next four teams out of March Madness.

Yes, it is very early in the season, but Georgia is already 5-0. The Bulldogs just recorded their largest margin over victory (48 points) since 2006, which is an excellent sign.

Georgia has a potential first-round NBA draft pick in true freshman Asa Newell along with several other talented newcomers.

“We’re all trying to grow as programs and as teams,” said Georgia basketball coach Mike White. The Bulldogs already have an impressive win at Georgia Tech and are looking to build off that ahead of a pair of challenging games.

On Saturday, Nov. 23 Georgia plays No. 14 Marquette at 11:00 a.m. ET at neutral site in the Bahamas. Georgia won’t get much rest before the Dawgs play No. 21 St. John’s on Sunday, Nov. 24 at 11:00 a.m. ET.

“We’ve been really good at times defensively, but have we put 40 (minutes) together,” said White. Georgia will have to play its best to beat a talented pair of undefeated Big East opponents.

This weekend represents Georgia basketball’s biggest nonconference test before UGA begins SEC play on Jan. 4.

Georgia basketball ranked surprisingly high in preseason top-100

Can Georgia basketball make a run to the NCAA Tournament? CBS Sports thinks the Dawgs have a shot

The Georgia Bulldogs basketball team is ranked No. 45 in CBS Sports’ most recent preseason top-100 rankings. As the No. 45 team, Georgia would be on the cusp of making the NCAA Tournament.

“The Bulldogs fully expect to be competitive and in the top half of the SEC, thanks above all to anticipated reforms with the team’s rebounding,” said Matt Norlander of CBS Sports.

Georgia basketball is coming off a 20-17 (6-12 in SEC) season where UGA finished No. 11 in the SEC. Georgia did have a promising run in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT), but the Bulldogs wouldn’t have made the NIT if several teams did not elect to participate.

Georgia lost a few pieces from last season, but added a couple of key names via the transfer portal and returns several quality players.

“Mike White has two players back who will be starters in Silas Demary Jr. and Blue Cain. Demary really might be the most undervalued player in the SEC,” continued Norlander. Georgia’s most notable signee is five-star forward Asa Newell.

“He’ll (Newell) need to be a top-10 freshman in the country to validate my UGA ranking, and I think he’s gonna pull it off,” said Norlander. “Look for Demary to step up and be one of the best defenders in the SEC – with backup De’Shayne Montgomery not that far behind. Tyrin Lawrence (via Vandy) and RJ Godfrey (via Clemson) should round out the starting five.”

Georgia opens the 2024-2025 college basketball season on Monday, Nov. 4 against Tennessee Tech at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Georgia basketball adds 7-foot-1 center to 2025 class

Four-star center recruit has committed to UGA basketball

Tuesday afternoon, 7-foot-1 center recruit Jackson McVey committed to head coach Mike White and Georgia basketball. McVey is playing at the Overtime Elite in Atlanta, Georgia.

McVey’s addition to the class of 2025 shows that Mike White looking to add size for the future for this program. McVey’s addition marks the second year in a row where an Overtime Elite player has committed to play for the Bulldogs with Somto Cyril signing in last year’s 2024 class.

McVey went on a visit to Athens this September and was constantly in communication since receiving an offer this summer from Mike White.

The lengthy center is the No. 25 player at his position, per ESPN. McVey is ranked as a four-star recruit.

Georgia’s 2025 class now includes four-star Jacob Wilkins, Kareem Stagg, and now Jackson McVey with all of them being 6-foot-8 and up. The future for the wings and bigs at UGA is going to be something to watch. Georgia’s class is now ranked No. 7 in the country.

Mike White and company beat out Georgia Tech, Florida, and Florida State for the in-state recruit. This is great momentum going into the upcoming high school and college basketball season starting in a few weeks.

Four-star center commits to the Georgia Bulldogs

Four-star center prospect Kareem Stagg has committed to UGA

Four-star center Kareem Stagg has committed to the Georgia Bulldogs basketball program. Stagg is a member of the class of 2025.

The 6-foot-8, 220-pound center plays high school basketball for IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Stagg is ranked as the No. 72 recruit in the country. The IMG Academy standout is the No. 8 center in the nation and the No. 15 prospect in Florida, per 247Sports.

Stagg committed to Georgia over Michigan, Oklahoma State and Houston. Head coach Mike White and Georgia have the No. 13 basketball recruiting class in the 2025 cycle.

Georgia has a pair of 2025 commitments in Stagg and four-star shooting forward Jacob Wilkins, who is the son of Dominique Wilkins. Stagg brings size, athleticism and skill to Georgia’s recruiting class.

The four-star announced his commitment to UGA basketball via social media.

Georgia basketball is trending upwards entering the 2024-2025 season.

Watch Anthony Edwards throws down windmill dunk

Former UGA basketball star Anthony Edwards throws down a ridiculous windmill dunk in Team USA’s win

Former Georgia Bulldogs basketball star Anthony Edwards is putting on a show for Team USA at the Olympic Games in Paris, France. Edwards scored a team-high 26 points of 11 of 15 shooting in the United States’ dominany 104-83 win over Puerto Rico.

Team USA has secured the No. 1 seed in the Olympic basketball tournament ahead of knockout play. The top highlight of the United States’ win had to be Anthony Edwards’ steal and windmill dunk in the fourth quarter.

Here’s a look at Edwards’ highlight.

Edwards’ windmill as about as good of an in-game dunk as you will ever see in basketball.

Michigan State transfer A.J. Hoggard narrows list down to five schools

Michigan State transfer guard A.J. Hoggard has narrowed down his potential destinations.

Michigan State Spartans basketball guard A.J. Hoggard is in the transfer portal after spending the past four seasons at Michigan State. Hoggard has started when healthy for the Spartans over the past two seasons.

Hoggard averaged 10.7 points, 5.2 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game last season. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound guard is the No. 72 player in the transfer portal according to 247Sports. If Hoggard transferred to Georgia, then he would become the Bulldogs’ highest-ranked incoming basketball transfer.

Hoggard’s top five schools are Georgia, Florida, Washington, USC and Vanderbilt. Hoggard is a veteran player with tons of experience. In fact, the four-star transfer prospect has played in eight NCAA Tournament games in his distinguished career.

A.J. Hoggard brings playmaking to his new transfer destination. Hoggard is a good free throw shooter (78.7%), but does not attempt many three-pointers (just 2.1 attempts per game).

UGA basketball’s RJ Melendez transfers to SEC school

UGA basketball loses its fourth-leading scorer, RJ Melendez, to another SEC team

Georgia basketball forward RJ Melendez has transferred to the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Head coach Mike White and Georgia have lost a significant amount of talent to the transfer portal this offseason. However, Georgia has a strong incoming recruiting class and could have a more talented roster for the 2024-2025 college basketball season.

Melendez spent the first two seasons of his college basketball career at Illinois. The former elite recruit played in 36 games for Georgia last season. During the 2023-2024 season, Melendez averaged 9.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game for Georgia.

Georgia basketball is scheduled to face Mississippi State next season. Georgia will miss Melendez, who was a big part of Georgia’s run in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT).

Melendez announced his commitment to Mississippi State via social media.

Last season, Mississippi State made the NCAA Tournament as a No. 8 seed. The Bulldogs lost to Michigan State in March Madness and are trying to retool their roster.

Nation’s No. 44 recruit commits to Georgia basketball, declares for NBA draft

6-foot-10 center recruit Somto Cyril has committed to UGA basketball and declared for the 2024 NBA draft

Four-star center recruit Somto Cyril has committed to the Georgia Bulldogs basketball program. Cyril, who previously signed for the Kentucky Wildcats, did not want to follow head coach John Calipari to Arkansas. Calipari’s departure allowed Cyril to be released from his national letter of intent.

The 6-foot-10, 240-pound center plays basketball for Overtime Elite in Atlanta, Georgia. The four-star is ranked as the nation’s No. 44 recruit, No. 9 center and No. 4 player in Georgia.

Somto Cyril’s commitment to Georgia gives the Bulldogs five newcomers (and counting) for the 2024-2025 college basketball season. Cyril joins five-star forward Asa Newell as incoming true freshman for the Bulldogs. Georgia has the No. 17 recruiting class in the country, per 247Sports.

Cyril has a well-developed frame for a true freshman. The Overtime Elite center is a good rim protector and a powerful dunker.

Cyril is putting his name into the 2024 NBA draft in addition to committing to Georgia. The lengthy center is looking to get feedback from NBA teams while maintaining his college eligibility.

Georgia basketball has already seen numerous additions and departures this offseason. We are tracking every player to enter or exit the Bulldogs’ basketball program this spring.