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 Enviornment in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. Auburn Tigers lead Georgia Bulldogs 29-24 at halftime. There may be a lot on the road for each Georgia and Oklahoma when the pair sq. off within the first spherical of the SEC event on Wednesday in Nashville, Tenn.
For the Bulldogs (20-11), the No. 11 seed within the event going towards the No. 14 Sooners (19-12), an NCAA Event berth seems safe.
Georgia is principally battling to enhance its event 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 area has not modified his strategy to the SEC Event.
“Nothing has modified for us,” White mentioned. “Each observe, each sport, 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 lots of areas, taking part in our greatest basketball having received 4 in a row. We wish that to proceed. We take nothing without any consideration.”
Georgia has labored its approach into event place by successful 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 way of a lot of its first season in SEC play.
The Sooners’ event probabilities had been on life assist 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 competition for an at-large berth by successful its final two video games.
The Sooners beat then-No. 15 Missouri at dwelling earlier than successful at Texas on Saturday to remain in competition for what can be their first NCAA Event look of Porter Moser’s 4 seasons.
The rationale for each groups’ latest success begins on the level guard spots.
When the groups met Jan. 11 at Georgia, a sport the Bulldogs received 72-62, each Georgia’s Silas Demary Jr. and Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears had been scuffling. Demary went 1-for-7 from the sector in that sport, lacking all 4 of his 3-point tries.
Throughout the Bulldogs’ present successful streak, the sophomore is capturing 53.1 % from the ground and 47.8 % from behind the arc whereas averaging 19.5 factors.
“He is actually taking part in at a excessive, excessive stage,” Moser mentioned of Demary. “They rebound so properly. They’re so large and bodily.”
Although Fears struggled from the ground within the earlier assembly towards Georgia, capturing 1-for-11 with 4 turnovers, he is nonetheless averaging 18.8 factors and 5.5 assists per sport during the last 4.
“Fears is in an unbelievable rhythm, and so is Silas,” White mentioned. “They area you. They have versatile guys. They will contact paint at a number of positions… They’re one of many quickest groups in our league downhill in area.”
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 had been simply 7-of-9.
The winner of Wednesday’s sport will tackle sixth-seeded Kentucky on Thursday.
–Area Degree Media
