Georgia At Home Against No.14 Auburn
Athens, GA – The Georgia Bulldogs return home to play the No. 14 Auburn Tigers tonight at 6 PM EST. The Bulldogs got their first win since late January last Wednesday on the road against Vanderbilt, bringing them to 15-11 overall and 5-8 in the SEC. The Tigers most recently lost to No. 17 (No. 22 when the two teams met) Kentucky last Saturday and are 20-6 overall and 9-4 in the conference.
While at Vanderbilt, the Dawgs outscored the Commodores 19-7 over the first seven and a half minutes and never looked back. UGA led for the rest of the game by a double-digit margin to come out on top, 76-64. Graduate student guard Noah Thomasson led the offensive scoring effort, putting up 17 points. Thomasson is one of three Bulldogs averaging over 10 points a game. He is tied with senior Jabari Abdur-Rahim; both of them are averaging 12.7 ppg with 330 total this season. Junior guard R.J. Melendez is the other Bulldog and is averaging 10.2 points per game. UGA is one of three teams in the SEC with a higher offensive output during conference play; five Bulldogs, including Thomasson and Melendez, have increased their scoring averages while facing SEC opponents. The Georgia bench is also an asset for the Dawgs; the bench is averaging 29.1 ppg and is currently ranked No. 18 nationally in bench scoring. During the Vanderbilt game, senior guard Justin Hill had 4 assists to pass 400 in his career total. Hill is the team's leading distributor with 3.7 assists per game. Georgia head coach Mike White commented, “We’ve got to be on offensively” to combat Auburn’s efficient offensive attack.
Georgia guard Silas Demary Jr., and Georgia guard Jabri Abdur-Rahim before Georgia’s game against South Carolina at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024. (Cassie Baker/UGAAA)
Auburn is averaging 82.2 ppg and has two Tigers averaging within the double-digit mark. Junior Johni Broome leads the Tigers, averaging 16.1 ppg and shooting 54.6% from field goal range; he is followed by senior forward Jaylin Williams, who averages 13.0 ppg. Broome is also the team’s leading defenseman; the 6’10” forward is collecting 8.5 rebounds per game and 2.4 blocks per game. Williams once again follows Broome, this time in rebounds, gathering 4.7 per game. When asked about Broome’s impact, White said, “His touch, his hands, his confidence level, his swagger. He’s All-American” and that “they utilize him very well.”
Graduate student center Russel Tchewa has played an important role in the Bulldog defense. Tchewa leads the team with an average of 6.7 rebounds per game. The 7’0” center has been one of three Bulldogs to start every game this season and is one of the five Bulldogs to increase his scoring average while in SEC play (6.1 to 8.9). Melendez is second behind Tchewa with 4.4 rebounds per game and freshman guard Silas Demary. Jr. follows Melendez with 3.8 rebounds per game.
With their win against Vanderbilt, the Bulldogs were able to smash a six-game losing streak they had been riding since late January. The win also brings the Dawgs to 25-1 under Mike White in games where they hold their opponents to less than 70 points. White says they have the “same approach” going into the Auburn game just as they had going into the Vanderbilt game, and “Hopefully [the Dawgs] can put 40 together at home and capitalize down the stretch.” A win against a ranked opponent at home for UGA “would be incredible.” (White) and would be of great importance to the Dawgs’ momentum as a whole for the rest of the season.
Other Georgia News:
- Bulldogs Add Sixth Game to Losing Streak After Being Up over Florida
- UGA Suffers Fourth Consecutive Loss after Falling to Mississippi State
- In a Game of Physicality, Georgia Loses their Third Straight to South Carolina
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