Keys to Victory Against Florida
With two-straight wins, Georgia basketball seems to be changing its fortunes. But the Bulldogs have to beat Florida on Saturday to solidify itself as a true NCAA Tournament contender again.
Florida got its NCAA Tournament journey back on track Tuesday with an upset win over Tennessee. The Gators are looking to build its resume at the expense of the Bulldogs. Here are two things Georgia must do to defend Stegman Coliseum, defeat the Gators, and reach 10 victories in 2020-21.
Build on Kentucky win, avoid a hangover
Georgia snapped a 14-game losing streak to the Kentucky Wildcats on Wednesday. The win featured a late comeback and a layup with a second left to seal the victory. Spirits are high right now for good reasons. But spirits can't be too high.
Georgia has lost its last three games following wins over Kentucky. Each of those games were monumental upsets, and while this Kentucky team is a shadow of itself, snapping a 14-game losing streak will always feel like an upset. The Bulldogs need to avoid a hangover from Wednesday before it can think about beating Florida.
Contain Tre Mann
For Georgia to beat Florida, it'll have to limit Mann's minutes with the ball. Florida's entire gameplan flows through Mann. He's the Gators leading scorer with 13.8 points in 11 games. He also leads the team with 4.1 assists and he's second on the team with 5.3 rebounds.
Georgia's goal should be to shake Florida off its gameplan. It'll accomplish that by forcing Mann to get rid of the ball quickly and prevent him from receiving the ball again. This means covering him on defense and preventing him from grabbing rebounds. Also, the Bulldogs have to take care of the ball around Mann, he is averaging 1.6 steals per game.
You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook @BulldogMaven & follow us on Twitter at @DawgsDailySI.
