Georgia Basketball Non-Conference Schedule Key to NCAA Tourney
The 2015 Georgia basketball season features home games with Georgia Tech and Clemson and road games with Seton Hall and Baylor.
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The 2015-2016 Georgia Basketball schedule is rounding into shape with the release of the non-conference schedule.
The Bulldogs’ 11 non-conference opponents averaged 19.3 wins last season and finished 2014-15 with an average NCAA RPI of 115.
“Our goal was a non-conference schedule that would put us in a proper position with the strength of schedule numbers at the end of the year,” head coach Mark Fox to Georgiadogs.com. “You never know what kind of season a team you play will have, but with the numbers from last year I think we’ve been able to establish the strength of schedule we need. It’s a little tougher numbers wise than it was a year ago. That’s important when you get to the month of March.”
The Georgia basketball season opens with a three-game home stand of Chattanooga on November 13, Murray State on November 20, and High Point on November 25. The Dawgs can reasonably expect to take a 3-0 record north to South Orange, NJ where the Dawgs will face Seton Hall on November 28.
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The Dawgs will return to Athens for a six game stand in the Stegeman Coliseum during December, including games with Kansas State on December 4, Georgia Tech on December 19 and Clemson on December 22. The Bulldogs will take a brief sabbatical from SEC play on January 30 for a trip to Waco to face Baylor in the SEC/Big 12.
“One of the things Greg (McGarity) and I have talked about for several years is getting quality non-league opponents to Athens,” Fox said. “I think we’ve been doing a good job of that with teams like Colorado and Seton Hall last year and Kansas State and Clemson this season. We want to have an attractive schedule. I want our fans to come to the Stegeman Coliseum to watch our team play, but I want them to see our team play against some real quality teams.”
Last season’s average RPI is the best by Georgia’s non-conference opponents since 2001-02. The 13 non-conference foes during the 2001-02 season averaged a RPI of 111 during 2000-01.
“You’ve got to cut your teeth early on to prepare yourself for the league,” Fox said. “Our league is very strong. One way to prepare your players for the league is to challenge them in non-league play.”
Georgia will play 18 regular-season home games, the same number as 2008-09 and 2012-13 and the most ever. SEC schedules will be released next month. The Dawgs will play Auburn, Florida and South Carolina will visit Athens every season as Georgia’s permanent home-and-home opponents.
Georgia is coming off consecutive 20-win campaigns for just the third time 107 seasons of Georgia basketball. The Bulldogs were 21-12 last season, losing to Michigan State. In 2013-14, Georgia finished 20-14 and reached the second round of the NIT. The Bulldogs posted three consecutive 20-win seasons in 1995-96, 1996-97, and 1997-98.