Georgia will try to make it a five-game winning streak to open the season when it hosts winless Florida A&M on Monday night in Athens, Ga.
The Bulldogs (4-0) have won all four games at home so far, but didn’t beat a Power 5 conference opponent until they took down state rival Georgia Tech 92-87 this past Friday.
Georgia coach Mike White saluted his team’s resilience, rallying from an eight-point deficit with 14:01 left in the second half in what was his team’s first major test of the young season.
Georgia, which is coming off its first NCAA Tournament appearance in a decade, is trying to develop a balanced attack and was able to play 11 players for 10 or more minutes in the game.
Jeremiah Wilkinson, who had 18 points off the bench, leads the Bulldogs through four games on offense, averaging 16.8 points, and on the defensive end with 3.0 steals per game.
Blue Cain, who also had 18 points against Georgia Tech, is averaging 15.8 points per game.
“We’ve got so much to clean up. That’s the good and bad with these games,” White said. “… I learned that we’ve got a little something to us.”
Florida A&M (0-3) had a winning season in Southwestern Athletic Conference play last season, but has struggled in its first season under former Heisman Trophy winner and two-sport star Charlie Ward.
For the Rattlers, it hasn’t just been their inability to win a game, they haven’t even kept one close. FAMU has lost each of its first three games by 20 or more points.
In the Rattlers’ most recent loss — a 97-60 setback against UCF — they got contributions from some of their younger players such as freshman Anthony Knowles, who had 12 points off the bench. Devere Palmer (12.5 points per game) and Tyler Shirley (10.3) lead FAMU so far.
“This was definitely what we expected as far as the competition. Our goal every night is to come out and compete,” Ward said. “… Overall, this experience is always going to be good for us. We’re playing these games for a reason and that’s to show our guys what it’s like to play competitive basketball against big-time teams.”
–Field Level Media
