It was bound to happen. This team is simply too talented to not put it together vs. a quality opponent on the road. The Georgia Bulldogs improved to 17-6 on the season and 5-5 in SEC with a dominating 83-71 road victory over the LSU Tigers. With this being a Quad 1 win, it does wonders for Georgia's chances of making the NCAA Tournament. They improved to 4-4 in the department on the season.
There is no way around it. This was effectively a must-win for Georgia to improve its overall tournament viability. LSU is probably not going to make it now, but this was still a top-75 team in the country UGA just beat on the road. With eight more conference games after this, Georgia just needs three more to effectively punch its ticket into the tournament. Back-to-back bids are upon us, y'all!
In a game where Kanon Catchings played out of his mind with 23 points on 8-13 shooting, including 5-of-6 from distance, it was Somto Cyril's heart, Blue Cain's team-first play, and Marcus Millender's selflessness that made this a complete game for UGA. Cyril had been battling the flu, but gave his all in this one. Cain[s all-around game was critical in keeping LSU at bay. Millender distributed fearlessly.
In a game where Georgia was expected to lose by the thinnest of margins, UGA won so emphatically.
Georgia's latest Quad 1 win over LSU keeps NCAA Tournament dream
If there was a game where head coach Mike White can point to and say this pace-and-space, rotation-heavy basketball works, this would be it. Georgia got off to another slow start with Max Mackinnon doing the heavy-lifting for LSU offensively. Once his shots started to go off target, Catchings and the guys took over. Georgia was relentless in its attack vs. LSU on offense all night.
Of the many victories Georgia has had over quality teams this season, this one has to be right up there. To see a team that had been playing some incredibly lackluster basketball in recent games to finally show up in a big way with the season on the line was tremendous. It just goes to show that this team plays hard and for each other. It may not be another one-and-done in the NCAA Tournament.
Overall, Georgia should move up from a No. 10 seed in Tuesday's Bracketology update. While Georgia is not 100 percent a lock to make the NCAA Tournament at present time, it may very well cross that threshold with a Quad 1 win at home vs. arch rival and White's former employer in Florida on Wednesday night. Georgia beat Florida last season around this time at home to help make the field.
Ultimately, Saturday evening in Baton Rouge are what culture wins are built upon. Rather than wallow in extended defeat of a rough stretch, you go into a team's house you are arguably better than and proof to everyone that this is indeed the case. This team feels destined to get to 20 wins this year. It may have played a weaker non-conference slate, but the Dawgs are now holding their own in the SEC.
Clearly, this team took advantage of its mini-bye of sorts to get a crucial one back in the win column.