Looking to extend the program’s best start to a season since its 1930-31 campaign, No. 18 Georgia travels to face Florida on Tuesday in Southeastern Conference play at Gainesville, Fla.
The Bulldogs (13-1, 1-0 SEC) won a 104-100 overtime thriller against Auburn in their conference opener on Saturday, improving to 13-1 for the first time since starting with a 23-1 record back in 1930-31.
Head coach Mike White said he is impressed by the number of positives associated with this season’s squad, which moved up five spots in the most recent Top 25 poll.
“(Saturday) kind of confirmed the team’s identity,” White said. “Honestly, our team is really competitive. We’re very resilient. Jeremiah Wilkinson is extremely confident. Somto Cyril is an elite defensive player. We’ve got other pieces, other guys that continue to get better, like Smurf Millender. We’ve got a really strong bench. We’ve got great depth and play multiple guys, so it was a confirmation of all of that.”
Wilkinson, who leads Georgia with 18.3 points per game, poured in a season-high 31 points on Saturday — including a pair of massive back-to-back 3-pointers in overtime.
At 99.4 points per game, the Bulldogs lead the nation in scoring, with Wilkinson playing a key role in Georgia’s nightly explosions.
“I stay in the gym. I work really hard,” Wilkinson said. “I get up a lot of shots, and I was in here until midnight (on Friday), too. Those shots at the end of the game, it feels like I am shooting in the gym by myself. I am just trying to get to a good shot, not settle and get what the team needs.”
Behind the sophomore, Blue Cain averages 15.6 points per game and Millender adds 11.6.
The last time Georgia and Florida met, the Bulldogs pulled off an 88-83 upset last February, helping propel them to their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2015.
The reigning national champion Gators haven’t lost at home to the Bulldogs since March 2019, but Tuesday might be Georgia’s best chance since then.
Florida (9-5, 0-1) surpassed its loss total from last season after dropping a 76-74 decision in the SEC opener at Missouri on Saturday. The loss dropped the Gators out of the Top 25.
Ranked No. 3 in the preseason, the Gators know they have plenty of season left to right the ship, but head coach Todd Golden also understands his team has to play much better — especially on the offensive side of the ball.
Florida shot 7-for-27 (25.9%) on 3-pointers in the loss to Missouri.
“It was the same story for us in terms of not being able to step up and make shots,” Golden said. “(Going) 2-for-15 (from 3-point range) in the second half … to win on the road, you’ve got to step and make shots.”
Returners from last season’s title team, Thomas Haugh (17.2 points) and Alex Condon (14.3) lead Florida’s scoring, while Princeton transfer Xaivian Lee averages 12.1.
–Field Level Media
