Dogs-Cats tonight at Stegeman

There is Georgia Bulldog basketball on tap for tonight in Athens: the Dogs are hosting the Kentucky Wildcats in a game that will tip at 7 o’clock in UGA’s Stegeman Coliseum.

From Mike Mobley, UGA Sports Communications…

The Starting Five

• K.D. Johnson was named SEC Freshman of the Week on Monday, UGA’s third SEC award winner this season following POTW Tye Fagan and Toumani Camara.

• After scoring in double figures once in the first 16 games last season, Toumani has hit double digits in 17 of his last 27 outings including his last 10 this season.

• Sahvir Wheeler’s four point-assist double-doubles in the first nine games equaled the second-best single-season total by any SEC player in the 2000s.

• Eight different Bulldogs have scored in double figures during the 2020-21 season, combining to produce 48 double-digit performances in UGA’s 12 games.

• UGA’s roster features eight newcomers with representative in every class – two freshmen, a sophomore, two juniors and a trio of senior graduate transfers.

The Opening Tip

Georgia opens a two-game homestand on Tuesday when the Bulldogs host Kentucky at Stegeman Coliseum. Georgia also will entertain Florida on Saturday afternoon before returning to the road next week.

The Bulldogs improved to 8-4 overall and 1-4 in SEC play with their victory at Ole Miss last Saturday. Georgia posted season-high shooting percentages from everywhere on the floor – overall (.587), 3-point range (.600) and the free throw line (.882) – en route to the win over the Rebels.

Georgia remains one of the nation’s most balanced offensive teams, with no less than seven players averaging 9.5 ppg or more. The Bulldogs entered last week as the only D-I men’s hoops program with six players sporting double-figure scoring averages.

Keeping An Eye On . . . Entering Today’s Game:

Justin Kier is…

• 5 assists from 250 for his career

• 10 rebounds from 600 for his career

Andrew Garcia is...

• 102 points from 1,000 for his career

• 31 rebounds for 500 for his career

Series History With Kentucky

Kentucky owns a 129-26 advantage in the all-time series between the Bulldogs and the Wildcats, including a 44-17 edge in Athens.

The Wildcats swept a pair of meetings in a two-week span last season, winning 78-69 at Stegeman Coliseum on Jan. 7 and then 89-79 at Rupp Arena on Jan. 21.

In Athens, Anthony Edwards’ game-high 23 points was not enough to overcome No. 14 Kentucky before a packed house. The Bulldogs led for 22:49 of the game, nearly 10 minutes more than the Wildcats.

Georgia used an 8-0 surge to go up 39-31 late in the half before Ashton Hagans’ 3-pointer at the buzzer trimmed that margin to six. A 13-2 run by Kentucky turned a 55-50 lead into a 63-57 deficit and put the Wildcats on top for good.

In Lexington, Edwards and Rayshaun Hammonds led a quartet of Bulldogs in double digits with 16 points each. The Bulldogs trailed by six, 41-35, at the half.

Georgia started quickly after the intermission, scoring consecutive buckets in 29 seconds to close the gap to two points and force the Wildcats into a timeout. Kentucky answered with two baskets in 31 seconds to regain its six-point edge.

The Bulldogs pulled within a single possession two more times, lastly at 57-54 at the 12:38 mark before a 12-2 surge by the Cats.

Scouting The Wildcats

Kentucky arrives in Athens with records of 4-8 overall and 3-2 in the SEC. The Wildcats struggled in non-conference play and entered league action with a 1-6 mark. Kentucky reeled off three consecutive victories before setbacks to Alabama and Auburn last week.

Brandon Boston Jr. leads a quartet of Wildcats contributing between 10.0-11.5 ppg. Boston’s 11.5 average is slightly better than Terrence Clarke (10.7 ppg), Olivier Sarr (10.3 ppg) and Keion Brooks Jr. (10.0 ppg.).

Two of those players – Clarke and Brooks – have only played in a portion of Kentucky’s games this season due to injuries.

Brooks saw his initial action in Kentucky’s last three outings after missing the first nine contests while recovering from a calf injury. Clarke has been out of action for Kentucky’s last five games due to an ankle injury. He did not dress out for Saturday’s matchup at Auburn and was wearing a boot.

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