Georgia basketball learned their SEC home and away opponents for the 2017-18 season earlier this week.
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It’s safe to say that Georgia basketball had one of the toughest conference schedules of anyone in the SEC. While that’s not an excuse for the Bulldogs missing out on the NCAA Tournament, it definitely affected them.
Playing two games each with Florida, South Carolina and Kentucky all close together would have been tough for anyone. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs lost all six of those games as well as a game to Texas A&M during that stretch.
But this year, Georgia should have a much more bearable schedule in the SEC. Besides their annual home-and-home opponents Florida, South Carolina and Auburn, Georgia also hosts Alabama, Arkansas, LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas A&M.
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Not exactly the toughest group in the SEC. Arkansas is certainly the best team there and Tennessee is no slouch either. The jury is still out on Texas A&M and Alabama. The Aggies had a great year in 2015-16, but they struggled last season. Alabama on the other hand is a program on the rise with a good defense and better recruiting.
But there is not a game on Georgia’s home SEC slate that you look at and say that’s a loss. The Bulldogs should win most of them. If they don’t, then 2017-18 will end up being another disappointment.
On the road, Georgia’s schedule is much more strenuous. The Bulldogs will travel to Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, Tennessee, Vanderbilt.
Not having to play Kentucky twice is a blessing, but having to travel to Rupp Arena still won’t be any less challenging. We’ve already mentioned that Tennessee is a good team, but Mississippi State and Vanderbilt are probably the best teams besides Kentucky on Georgia’s SEC road slate.
Realistically, if Georgia plays to their potential and learns how to close games, the Bulldogs should go 12-6 in the SEC. I see them splitting the games with South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee while they sweep LSU and Auburn. The other losses would come to Kentucky and either Alabama, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt.
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A 12-6 record in the SEC should be good enough to get Georgia into the NCAA tournament unless they’re unable to get wins over Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State and Texas A&M. Of those ten games, Georgia probably needs to win six. An upset over Kentucky would be welcome as well.