Georgia Bulldogs guard Silas Demary Jr. (5) drives the ball on Auburn Tigers guard Tahaad Pettiford (0) as Auburn Tigers tackle Georgia Bulldogs at Neville Area in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. Auburn Tigers lead Georgia Bulldogs 29-24 at halftime. There’s lots on the road for each Georgia and Oklahoma when the pair sq. off within the first spherical of the SEC match on Wednesday in Nashville, Tenn.
For the Bulldogs (20-11), the No. 11 seed within the match going towards the No. 14 Sooners (19-12), an NCAA Match berth seems safe.
Georgia is especially battling to enhance its match place, as it’s anticipated to make this system’s first look since 2015 and simply its fourth within the final 23 years.
Bulldogs coach Mike White mentioned feeling comfy with their place within the NCAA discipline has not modified his strategy to the SEC Match.
“Nothing has modified for us,” White mentioned. “Each apply, each recreation, mid-majors, nonconference, convention video games, it is about being our greatest and striving for development… We have had good momentum as a result of we have continued to enhance in plenty of areas, enjoying our greatest basketball having received 4 in a row. We wish that to proceed. We take nothing with no consideration.”
Georgia has labored its manner into match place by profitable its final 4 video games of the common season, most notably an 88-83 win over then-No. 3 Florida on Feb. 25.
After a powerful nonconference efficiency, Oklahoma has struggled by means of a lot of its first season in SEC play.
The Sooners’ match probabilities have been on life help after back-to-back last-possession losses — 83-82 to Kentucky on Feb. 26 and 87-84 at Ole Miss on March 1. However Oklahoma stayed in rivalry for an at-large berth by profitable its final two video games.
The Sooners beat then-No. 15 Missouri at dwelling earlier than profitable at Texas on Saturday to remain in rivalry for what can be their first NCAA Match look of Porter Moser’s 4 seasons.
The explanation for each groups’ latest success begins on the level guard spots.
When the groups met Jan. 11 at Georgia, a recreation the Bulldogs received 72-62, each Georgia’s Silas Demary Jr. and Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears have been scuffling. Demary went 1-for-7 from the sphere in that recreation, lacking all 4 of his 3-point tries.
In the course of the Bulldogs’ present profitable streak, the sophomore is taking pictures 53.1 p.c from the ground and 47.8 p.c from behind the arc whereas averaging 19.5 factors.
“He is actually enjoying at a excessive, excessive stage,” Moser mentioned of Demary. “They rebound so properly. They’re so massive and bodily.”
Although Fears struggled from the ground within the earlier assembly towards Georgia, taking pictures 1-for-11 with 4 turnovers, he is nonetheless averaging 18.8 factors and 5.5 assists per recreation during the last 4.
“Fears is in an unbelievable rhythm, and so is Silas,” White mentioned. “They house you. They have versatile guys. They’ll contact paint at a number of positions… They’re one of many quickest groups in our league downhill in house.”
Within the first assembly between the groups, the Bulldogs had a 20-point benefit on the free-throw line, going 27-of-37 on free throws whereas the Sooners have been simply 7-of-9.
The winner of Wednesday’s recreation will tackle sixth-seeded Kentucky on Thursday.
–Area Stage Media
