If Auburn is Georgia basketball's oldest rival, then Florida is its most detested. Regardless of what the stakes are, this one will be personal. So, you can throw out all of the records, history, pre-game speeches and hype machines, this engine will start itself.
For Mike White and the Georgia Bulldogs, this season may not have ended the way they expected, especially after starting out 12-1, but that does not mean there still are not things to play for, like beating the Florida Gators.
What to Expect
With four games remaining in their regular season, the Georgia Bulldogs (16-11, 4-10 SEC) are facing the harsh reality that they will probably not be making it into the NCAA tournament. They are in the midst of a four-game losing streak, losers of nine of their last eleven games and now have a red hot No. 5 Florida Gators (24-3, 11-3 SEC), winners of six in a row, including a road win at No. 1 Auburn, coming to town.
Let’s be frank, the SEC is the most daunting gauntlet in all of college basketball. Night in and night out, game after game, the level of competition is fierce and unrelenting. Is this not supposed to be a football conference?
Tuesday’s match-up against the Gators will mark Georgia’s 14th game this season against a Top 25 opponent, twelve of which came from within the SEC. The last time these two teams met back in January, Georgia was given their worst loss of the season in 89-59 bludgeoning in Gainesville.
This one however is in Athens where the Dawgs have been pretty good this season. So, while the matchup does not look particularly good for Georgia on paper, playing at home gives them a puncher’s chance of pulling off the upset. But before the game begins, here is all the information you need to know for this old school SEC primetime matchup.
The When, the Where and the How
When: Tuesday, February 25th at 7:00 PM, EST
Where: Stegeman Coliseum, Athens, GA
How to Watch: SEC Network with Dave Neal and Pat Bradley doing the play-by-play.
Series History
This will be the 226th hardcourt meeting between these two SEC rivals with their first contest dates all the way back to 1926. Florida currently possesses a 25-game edge in overall head-to-head matchups, holding a 125-100 lead over Georgia. Florida has also won twelve consecutive games against Georgia.
Top Performers
Georgia: Freshman forward Asa Newell | 15.4 points per game, 6.7 rebounds and 1.1 block per game | 55.3 FG%
Florida: Senior guard Walter Clayton Jr. | 17 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game | 44.9 FG%
Injury Report
UGA: Tyrin Lawrence | G | Probable - Leg
Florida: Sam Alexis | F | Out - Undisclosed
Florida: Alex Condon | F | Questionable - Ankle
Florida: Olivier Rioux | C | Out - Redshirt
Georgia versus Auburn Final Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
Favorite: Florida @ -7.5
Moneyline: Georgia +260
Over/Under: 148.5
Current Predictions
ESPN’s Matchup Predictor gives the Gators a 67.5% chance of winning this game.
The Skinny
Both teams come into this matchup having played 27 games this season.
In conference play this season, Georgia is 4-3 at home, while Florida is 5-2 on the road.
Georgia is averaging 74.8 points per contest, while Florida averages 83.6 points.
Georgia is 46.0 percent from the field this season, which is 7.1 percentage points higher than Florida has allowed to its opponents (38.9%). Meanwhile, Florida has a field goal percentage of 46.9 percent thus far, which is 6.1 percentage points greater than the 40.8 percent shooting average Georgia has held its opponents.
Florida ranks No. 3 in the nation in rebounds per game with 42.3 while Georgia ranks 100th with 36.8 per contest.
Watch out for…
Florida’s guard combo of Alijah Martin and Walter Clayton Jr. They combined for 34 points in Georgia’s last matchup with Florida.
The Close
Another Top 25 SEC matchup for the Dawgs. It is nonstop. If Georgia is going to pull off the upset, they are going to need help from the student section of Stegeman Coliseum. The place needs to be loud and full of energy for 40 minutes.
Georgia does not have the roster to run with Florida, but its starting five is talented enough to compete with the Gators. Getting Tyrin Lawrence back is a major plus for the Dawgs as Georgia has really missed his presence.
Georgia needs to dictate pace at home and not allow Florida to take the crowd out of the game. Florida has the clear advantage in the backcourt, but Georgia matches up a little better in the paint with the Gators. So, either RJ Godfrey, Somto Cyril, Dylan James or a combination of all three need to assert themselves this game for Georgia to win.
Prediction: Florida wins 87-71.