Clemson Faces High-Octane Georgia in Charleston Classic Championship

After a thrilling 70-67 victory on Friday night, the Clemson Tigers will look to cap a successful run at the Shriners Children's Charleston Classic with a win on Sunday over the Georgia Bulldogs.

Brad Brownell’s squad erased an 11-point deficit in the second half to beat defensive-minded West Virginia on Friday night, punching their ticket to the championship game of the Palmetto Bracket.

With another high-stakes game ahead, let’s examine the Bulldogs and what they will bring to Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. matchup at TD Arena.

A Pair of High-Scoring Guards

When studying Georgia, one aspect of the team that sticks out is the reliance of guard play on the group’s success. Perhaps no team emphasises that point more than UGA.

As college basketball insider Jeff Goodman of the Field of 68 posted to X on Friday, “Some coaches say they are gonna play fast. I’ll say this: Georgia plays SO FAST. So athletic, they move the ball. And tonight they are making shots.”

Blue Cain leads the Bulldogs in scoring with 15.2 points per game, alongside swingman Jeremiah Wilkinson, who’s averaged 14.3 per contest this season.

While Cain has stayed on in Athens for two prior seasons, Wilkinson joined the Bulldogs after a productive freshman season with the California Golden Bears. There, the Powder Springs, Ga. native averaged 15.1 points in 32 games played.

Of note, Wilkinson scored 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting in 22 minutes against Clemson back on January 4. The Tigers defeated California that day, 80-68.

Insider Knowledge of RJ Godfrey

Standout Tiger RJ Godfrey has a unique position to play in Sunday’s contest. After spending two seasons in Clemson, the Suwanee native headed back to his home state to play for the Bulldogs. In 33 games for head coach Mike White’s team, the lanky forward chipped in 6.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, leading UGA to its first NCAA Tournament bid in ten years.

When Brownell called Godfrey this summer, he came right back to Tiger Town, eager to help Clemson earn another NCAA Tournament bid.

“I love RJ,” White said after the Bulldogs defeated Xavier in their semifinal matchup Friday. “I was crushed, obviously, but happy for him too. I'll talk about it openly….he's wonderful. I’d give him the shirt off my back. He’d do that for any of us. He's a great dude. He helped us get to an NCAA tournament, and I'm proud to have coached him for a year. I hope he has a monster year, [but] I just hope he plays average on Sunday against us.”

UGA should be more knowledgeable than any opponent Clemson faces this season when it comes to defending Godfrey. Against West Virginia, the senior notched a 14-point, six-rebound effort that showed off his high motor. If he’s able to maintain that form against a familiar team, it should bode well heading into the rest of non-conference play.

Strength in Numbers

For a quad that added five transfers to their existing roster, it’s impressive how quickly White’s team has gelled in their 11-man rotation. Of those 11 players, ten have scored in double digits during a game this season.

Against Xavier in UGA’s first Charleston Classic game, it was former UTSA guard Marcus “Smurf” Millender’s 12 points, including a fadeaway three-pointer with 9.9 seconds left, that proved critical in the Bulldogs’ sixth win of the season. That 12-point output was a season high for Millender, who averaged 14.9 points and shot an excellent 43.8% from downtown as a Roadrunner in 2024.

Georgia Bulldogs (5-0, 0-0 Big 12)

Head coach: Mike White (4th season here, 15th overall, 62-46 at Georgia, 305-174 overall)

Five-time NCAA Tournament participant, most recently in the 2025 event
2017 NCAA Elite Eight (with Florida)

Advanced Rankings*

38 in KenPom (Clemson is 27)
44 in BPI (Clemson is 22)

* - out of all 365 Division I teams

Record by Quadrant

Quadrant 1: 1-0

Quadrant 2: 0-0

Quadrant 3: 1-0

Quadrant 4: 4-0

Notable wins: vs Xavier (78-77), vs Georgia Tech (92-87)

Notable losses: none

Stat Leaders

Leading scorer: G Blue Cain, 15.2 points

Leading rebounder: F Dylan James, 6.5 rebounds

Assist leader: G Marcus Millender, 4.0 assists

Series History

Georgia leads the series, 56-26, though Clemson did win the previous meeting by a 64-49 score. The Tigers blew out the Bulldogs in the semifinals of the 2018 Cayman Islands Classic.

Quick Facts

Georgia is 4-3 against Clemson on neutral courts.
Clemson is looking to win their second Charleston Classic title, after defeating Temple for the title in the 2008-09 season.
A win would give Clemson its third straight season with a regular-season tournament championship (2024-25 Sunshine Slam, 2023-24 Asheville Championship).