As it is with anything, it is all about the matchups. While the Georgia Bulldogs had been a lock to make the NCAA Tournament for quite awhile now, we did not learn of their fate until Sunday evening. The Selection Committee has spoken, and Georgia was deemed a No. 8 seed! The Bulldogs will be taking on the No. 9 Saint Louis Billikens in their first-round game. It is a bad matchup, but wait, it gets worse...
In the event that Georgia wins its first NCAA Tournament game in decades, guess who they would have to play in the Round of 32? Yes, Georgia would be drawing No. 1 Michigan in the second round. This is the same Michigan team that has only lost three games all season long, including a shocking Big Ten Tournament final defeat at the hands of Purdue. Dusty May's team will be so hungry for this...
Even though Georgia could conceivably make Michigan uncomfortable by making the Wolverines run all day on Saturday, they present a horrible matchup for the Dawgs for this one reason: Rebounding... Because Georgia has not been committed to owning the glass for much of this season, the Bulldogs could be laughed out of the building if they turn the basketball over and their shots are just not falling.
While getting to the Sweet 16 was always this year's team's ceiling, it might be wishful thinking now.
Georgia could be getting a horrible second-round matchup vs. Michigan
The good news for this year's Georgia team is making the NCAA Tournament is not some untrodden territory. Mike White and the boys made it to March Madness last season before falling to traditional power Gonzaga in the first round. Georgia has not gotten out of the first round in over two decades. While it may be in the cards if they play with focus vs. Saint Louis, Michigan looms large in the second.
For a team like Georgia that is trying desperately to build up a winning basketball culture, it is so imperative that the Bulldogs give their all vs. Saint Louis later in the week. A win over them would do wonders in terms of overall morale heading into next season. While Michigan is to some degree getable, anyone who has followed college basketball this year knows Georgia would be up against it.
Ultimately, here are the expectations for how Dawg Nation should feel about where Georgia finds itself in the NCAA Tournament bracket. A win over Saint Louis would be a huge step in the right direction. A loss to the Billikens should yield frustration from the fan base. While a loss to Michigan in the Round of 32 is totally expected, let's do cartwheels in the streets if UGA is going to the Sweet 16!
There were so many years where UGA was not close to being a tournament team, so let's enjoy this.