Georgia Defeats Alabama - Are the Bulldogs a Lock for the NCAA Tournament?

The Georgia Bulldogs have picked up some massive wins over the last few weeks on the basketball court, but perhaps the biggest of the season occurred on Tuesday night. Mike White and his team knocked off the 16th ranked Alabama Crimson Tide by a final score of 98-88. The Hoop Dawgs are now 21-9 on the season with just one regular season game remaining.

Momentum swung in Georgia's favor when they beat Kentucky on the road a couple of weeks ago. They then picked up wins against Texas and South Carolina and with the win over Alabama, they have now won four of their last five games. The Dawgs have now gone from being on the bubble to being a lock for the NCAA tournament, according to ESPN.

Are the Georgia Bulldogs a Lock for the NCAA Tournament?

Mar 3, 2026; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs forward Kanon Catchings (6) shown after Georgia defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide at Stegeman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Bulldogs are currently projected as a nine-seed by ESPN's bracketology. The win over Alabama could swing them to an eight seed, and the Dawgs could certainly earn that if they beat Mississippi State on Saturday and make some waves in the conference tournament. Some even think Georgia could be as high as a seven seed.

Georgia is set to make the NCAA tournament for the second year in a row under Mike White. It's the first time the program has achieved that since 2001-2002. They have also won 20 or more games in a season three years in a row under coach White.

It was a stellar night for the Bulldogs on Tuesday, but no one was as stellar as Kanon Catchings. He poured in 32 points for the Dawgs while shooting 12/20 from the field. That included seven made threes. Blue Cain added in another 16 points.

It has been quite the turnaround for the Bulldogs. After going on a bit of a losing streak earlier in the season and their tournament hopes hanging on by a thread, the team has managed to answer the call and turned themselves into a lock for the dance.

Georgia will take on Mississippi State this Saturday in Starkville. Mississippi State is 5-12 in conference play and 13-17 on the season. The game is set to tip-off at 3:30 PM ET and will be broadcasted on SEC Network. The team will then travel to Nashville for the SEC Tournament before they discover where they have been placed for this year's NCAA Tournament.