It doesn’t get any easier for the Vols in men’s basketball. After splitting a two-game road stand last week, losing to the Florida Gators on Tuesday but beating the Texas Longhorns on Saturday, Tennessee returns home to face another top 25 team, its third out of four SEC games to this point.
Rick Barnes’ team, which dropped from No. 1 to No. 6 in both polls after last week’s 30-point loss in Gainesville, Fla., has not yet faced an SEC team that was both outside of the top 25 and at home. This time, at 15-1 and 2-1 in league play, they welcome the Georgia Bulldogs to town.
Led by third-year head coach Mike White, UGA comes into this game with a 14-2 record and 2-1 SEC record. They have two straight wins against top 25 opponents, the Kentucky Wildcats and Oklahoma Sooners. Here is everything you need to know for Wednesday’s matchup.
Georgia Bulldogs at Tennessee Volunteers
When: Wednesday, Jan. 15
Where: Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center; Knoxville, Tenn.
TV: SEC Network
Live stream: WatchESPN
Radio: Vol Network (Click here for affiliates); Georgia Bulldog Sports Network (Click here for affiliates)
Listen online: UTSports; GeorgiaDogs.com
Freshman phenom wing Asa Newell, who leads the Dawgs in points per game with 15.4 and rebounds per game with 6.8, has been the star of White’s team so far this year and why they have taken a dramatic step forward. Returning guard Silas Demary Jr. is also a weapon along with transfer veteran guard Dakota Leffew. Both are averaging double figures.
Making this team even more dangerous, though, transfer guard De’Shayne Montgomery is also averaging double figures. He just recently joined the team, only playing the last six games after missing the first nine due to an eligibility issue, although his scoring has decreased in league play.
The overall point is Georgia is dangerous, with nine players logging at least 10 minutes a game and nobody averaging over 30 minutes a game. There’s a reason their only losses are at the Ole Miss Rebels and on a neutral site to the Marquette Golden Eagles, two top 25 opponents.
On Tennessee’s side, despite losing J.P. Estrella for the season and Cameron Carr shockingly transferring in December, the Vols found a new offensive weapon in Darlinstone Dubar at Texas. Dubar dropped 12 points off the bench. If he can complement the scoring combination of Chaz Lanier, Igor Milicic Jr. and Zakai Zeigler, this team could be deadly.
Sticking with the theme of no off-days in the SEC this year, after this game, Tennessee heads to Nashville to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores Saturday. Georgia, meanwhile, has to host the No. 1 ranked Auburn Tigers, so things just continue to get more brutal.
