Florida Gators at Georgia: Preview, Prediction, Odds, Where to Watch and More
Photo: Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden; Credit: Zach Goodall
Despite holding a 21-point advantage in the second half, Florida was forced to use overtime to down the Georgia Bulldogs in the first chapter of the two-game season series.
Following the 102-98 home win, the Gators will now hit the road for the rematch against the Dawgs, entering Stegman Coliseum searching for a coveted 18th victory of the year.
You can find everything you need to know before tip-off below, including an in-depth rundown of Florida's opponent, game prediction and more.
Florida Gators (17-7, 7-4 SEC) vs. Georgia Bulldogs (14-10, 4-7 SEC)
Where: Stegeman Coliseum, Athens, Ga.
When: Saturday, Feb. 16 at 1 p.m. ET
Watch: SEC Network | fuboTV (start your free trial)
Radio: Gator Sports Network from LEARFIELD | FloridaGators.com | The Varsity Network App | SiriusXM 385 & SXM App
Odds: The Gators are 3.5-point favorites over the Bulldogs on Saturday, according to SI Sportsbook. The over/under for the contest is set at 154.5 points.
Series history: Florida leads Georgia 123-103 in the all-time series. In their most recent meeting on Jan. 27, the Gators held off the Bulldogs in overtime, 102-98 in Gainesville.
Important stories
- Florida Gators Narrowly Escape LSU Tigers, 82-80
- Gators in 'Great Spot' for March Madness Bid
- What Todd Golden Said After Florida's 81-65 Upset of No. 12 Auburn
- Gators Topple No. 12 Tigers in Dominant Fashion, 81-65
- Todd Golden "Very Excited" for Gators' Bout with Bruce Pearl, No. 12 Tigers
- Gators Climb in ESPN's Bracketology Projections Following First Q1 Win
- Florida Tripped Up by Texas A&M in College Station, 67-66
- Social Media Reacts to Florida's Upset of No. 10 Kentucky
- Walter Clayton Jr. Forces OT, Uplifts Florida to Quad-I Win vs. Kentucky
- Gators Outlast Pesky Dawgs in Overtime Thriller, 102-98
- Florida Fends Off Mississippi State's Late Comeback Efforts, Post 79-70 Win
- Florida Gators Down Missouri Tigers in Columbia, 79-67
- Column: Florida Guard Zyon Pullin Hitting Stride at the Perfect Time
- Golden: Guard Zyon Pullin Will' Raise the Level' of Gators Squad
- Denzel Aberdeen a 'Great Example' for Gators' Program Under Todd Golden
- Exclusive: Golden's Gators Striving for 'Next Step' With Reconstructed Roster
The rundown
The Bulldogs have been licking their wounds since their overtime loss against the Gators on Jan. 27. Georgia has lost five straight, starting with its road defeat to Florida and has dropped below .500 in conference play.
UGA has been a defensive-focused team this season but its play on that side on the ball has seen a decline in the past few games. The last time Florida and Georgia met, the Bulldogs ranked 49th in adjusted defensive efficiency but have slipped all the way to 74th.
The Gators led by as much as 21 points in their last bout with the Bulldogs, before Georgia switched 1-5 defensively and began to find more success at stopping UF.
UGA surrendered 47 points in the first half against UF, but the switches defensively helped hold Florida just 38 second half points. Georgia head coach Mike White will likely start Saturday's matchup the same way, mixing between zone and man defense to throw the Gators' offense off.
The Bulldogs will look to use a strong defense to trigger their offense in transition. UGA scores 11.29 fast break points per game, which ranks T-108th in the nation.
Georgia's offense has also slipped in efficiency since its first meeting with Florida. The Bulldogs' adjusted offensive efficiency sits at 99th after previously being 94th when it travelled to Gainesville.
The Bulldogs will look create open looks on the perimeter in Saturday's game. Georgia attempts 23.6 3-pointer per game, which ranks just outside the top 100 at 101st in the nation. The team shoots 34.8% as a team from beyond the arc.
In Florida's last game against UGA, Georgia finished 11-26 from three, which allowed the Bulldogs to climb back into the game and force overtime.
The Gators' three-point percentage allowed ranks middle of the pack in the SEC at ninth through 24 games, allowing teams to 33.4% from deep.
Although Georgia's 2-point percentage ranks 245th in the country, the team still found success inside the arc in their last bout with Florida. The Bulldogs shot 57.1% on 2-point shot attempts against UF as Florida failed to contain Georgia in the second half.
Georgia is filled with players who can shoot the ball well, and can play multiple perimeter shooters on the floor at one time.
"They're built to play that way," Gators head coach Todd Golden said Friday. "They play multiple perimeters and generally will play a perimeter at the four. We have to make sure our bigs do a good job guarding on the perimeter and also a great awareness of what they're taking away when they're out there."
Bulldogs guard RJ Melendez will be a name to watch for Florida's defense. The 6-foot-7-inch guard scored a season-high 35 points off the bench against Florida and shot an efficient 13-19 from the field and 6-10 from 3-point range.
Melendez is averaging 10.3 points per game on a lowly 27.8% from three but his last game against the Gators proved he can't be left open on the perimeter.
Another name to watch for Georgia is 6-foot-8-inch guard Jabri Abdur-Rahim. The guard has scored double digits just once in his past six games but he's still the Bulldogs leading scorer with 12.8 points per game and his size could pose issues for Florida.
Despite Abdur-Rahim's size, much of his offense comes from 3-point range, where he's shooting 37.7% this season.
Outside of Melendez, Georgia's bench unit is one of the best in the nation offensively. The second unit is averaging 29.4 points per game, which is 18th best in the country.
Guards Justin Hill and Blue Cain scored double digits against UF and are capable of scoring in bunches against the Gators defense. Cain can hurt Florida from deep as he's shooting 36.6% from beyond the arc this season, while Hill leads UGA in assists with 3.6 per game.
Center Russel Tchawa leads the team in grabbing boards (6.7 rebounds per game) and notched a double double in UGA's first game against UF with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Brandon's Prediction (14-5): Florida 84, Georgia 76
The Gators proved to outmatch the Bulldogs for most of the first contest, with Micah Handlogten and Zyon Pullinleading the way en route to the overtime win.
Georgia’s dependence on three-point shooting, and recent decline in form, paired with Florida’s successful defensive adjustments and tournament-caliber play of late leads me to believe another favorable outcome is inbound for the Gators.
If UF dominates the points in the paint and rebounding battles, it should cruise to another comfortable victory for head coach Todd Golden and Co., making the new staff 4-0 against Mike White over two seasons.
I expect the game to be within single digits for most of the contest, due to the nature of playing on the road, but Florida is able to once again best a struggling Georgia squad in Athens, 84-76.
Stay tuned to All Gators for continuous coverage of Florida Gators football, basketball and recruiting. Follow along on social media at @AllGatorsOnFN on Twitter and All Gators on FanNation-Sports Illustrated on Facebook.
