Basketball: Georgia vs Missouri Game Preview

Georgia Basketball coach Mike White and the Bulldogs travel to Columbia, Missouri to take on the Tigers Saturday at 1p.m. ET/12p.m. CT on SEC Network.

Georgia (10-3) enters its first Southeastern Conference-play test on the heels of a perfect December. The Dawgs won all six of its games last month, including a 76-62 victory over rival Georgia Tech. The team hits 2024 riding an eight game win streak that dates back to November 24th. 10 different players are averaging at least 10 minutes a game, which helps explain why Georgia ranks 31st in the nation in bench points.

Senior guards Jabri Abdur-Rahim (13.2 points per game) and Noah Thomasson (12.3 ppg) lead the team in scoring, while RJ Melendez and Justin Hill have provided substantial contributions so far this season. Abdur-Rahim had his strongest outing (23pts) in a 12-point win over Mount St. Mary's on Dec. 20th.

Newcomer Russel Tchewa has been a dominant force down low for the Dawgs. The 7-foot center from Cameroon has started all 13 games this season. Tchewa is, unsurprisingly, Georgia's leading rebounder, averaging a hair over six boards per game. Tchewa's not the only fresh face making an immediate impression in Athens.

Freshman Blue Cain is coming off an 18-point outing in UGA's tune-up win over Alabama A&M last Saturday. Cain went 7-for-9 from the field and drained three of his five 3-point attempts. The Knoxville, Tenn. native has been shooting at a high level thus far, hovering around the 45% mark on the season.

Mizzou (8-5) is powered by point man Sean East II, who leads the Tigers in both points (17.1) and assists. (3.5) Veteran guard Nick Honor is also a steady presence and played a prominent role in his team's run to the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 last year.

Georgia will have its hands full keeping 6'6" Noah Carter and 6'8" Aidan Shaw at bay. The two forwards account for nearly a third of the Tigers' total rebounds and are a big reason Coach Dennis Gates' squad ranks 8th in the country in blocks per game.

How they stack up

Georgia's key wins: Wake Forest, Florida State, Georgia Tech

Missouri's key wins: Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Wichita State

Both sides mirror each other offensively. Georgia is averaging 75.4 points per game while allowing opponents an average of 69.4 per contest. Mizzou is putting up an average of 76.5 ppg compared to its opponents' average of 71.3. Georgia has turned it over 146 times (11.2 pg) compared to Mizzou's 150. (11.5 pg) As a team, Georgia is shooting 43.2% on the season compared to Mizzou's 45.2%.

Most recent meeting: Feb. 25, 2023 (Mizz def. UGA, 85-63)

Series history: Mizzou leads 11-8