Preview: UT-Chattanooga Next Up for Georgia Basketball
The Georgia basketball team travels to the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga to play for a desperately needed win.
Date: 12/2/2014
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Tipoff Time: 7:00pm
Venue: McKenzie Arena (formerly The Roundhouse”) seating capacity 10,298
Radio: Georgia Bulldog Sports Network from IMG, in Atlanta WSB (750 AM) and WSBB (95.5 FM). In Athens: WRFC (AM 960
TV: ESPN3
Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee
History: Founded as a Methodist private college in 1886, the University of Chattanooga and Chattanooga City College merged with the University of Tennessee in 1969 and UT – Chattanooga as it was established.
UT – Chattanooga has played in 10 NCAA Tournaments, reaching the regional semi-finals in 1997 after beating Georgia in the first round. UTC also played into the round of 32 in 1982. (Georgia has played in 11 NCAA tournaments.)
Coach: Will Wade, a 2005 Clemson graduate, was named the Chattanooga Mocs 18th Head Men’s Basketball Coach on May 13, 2013. Wade was VCU Head Coach Shaka Smart’s first hire at VCU in 2009 and served four years as an assistant coach. Wade is the 2014 Southern Conference Coach of the Year.
Last year: In Wade’s first year, the Moccasins were 18-15, 12-4 in conference. Georgia handled UTC 87-56 last season in Athens.
This year: UTC is 3-4 with big losses at Wisconsin (89 – 45) and Butler (78 – 48) and a close loss to Tennessee Tech at home 69 – 67. The Mocs also lost to Kennesaw State (77 – 69). Wins came against Robert Morris, Coastal Carolina and Hiawassee College.
The Mocs return two starters, sophomore guard Greg Pryor and junior guard Casey Jones. Coach Wade will start all transfers in front of his guards – sophomore VCU transfer Justin Tuoyo, sophomore Queens University transfer sophomore Tre’ McLea, and East Mississippi CC transfer Chuck Ester.
Expect a surprise or maybe two in the Georgia starting lineup. Dawn of the Dawg expects to see J. J. Frazier get a shot to start the game, which could mean Charles Mann will come off the bench. There is a lot of postulating going on in the Bulldog Nation today, but the likely starting lineup for Georgia is sophomore J. J. Frazier and junior Kenny Gaines at guard, sophomore Juwan Parker, senior Nemi Djurisic and senior Marcus Thornton at forward. Mann and Maten will come of the bench early followed by Kenny Paul Geno.
Much will depend on whether Mann is in the Mark Fox dog house. If there is a true lineup surprise, it could be Geno in place of Parker as a starter or Taylor Echols off the bench early instead of Mann.
In any event, Georgia desperately needs to win a basketball game and even on the road, the Mocs present a very good opportunity. Expect Georgia to win this game, perhaps not handily, however.