Georgia Bulldogs host Clemson Tigers Tuesday night
By John Buhler
The Georgia Bulldogs look to build on Saturday’s win over Georgia Tech when they take on another ACC foe at home in the Clemson Tigers Tuesday night.
The Georgia Bulldogs are 5-3 after their win in Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate on the hardwood Saturday versus in-state rival Georgia Tech, 75-61. Georgia has two more non-conference games before beginning SEC play and will face a 7-4 Clemson Tigers team at Stegeman Coliseum Tuesday night. Tipoff is at 6:00 PM ET and the game will air on the SEC Network.
Georgia may feel pretty good about ending a four-game slide to Georgia Tech, but must get ready for a strong defensive team in the Clemson Tigers. Clemson allows only 57.6 points per game, fifth in Division I. The Tigers are 28th in team defensive rating at 90.7 and are 78th in team offensive rating at 110.4.
-= Related: J.J. Frazier lifts Georgia Bulldogs past Yellow Jackets =-
From looking at Clemson’s results through their first 11 games, the Tigers are beating smaller schools, but have trouble putting away teams in major conferences like UMass, Minnesota, Alabama, and South Carolina. The Georgia Bulldogs are the last non-conference opponent Clemson will face this season.
More from UGA Basketball
- Georgia Basketball: The Bulldogs Land Their Point Guard
- Amir Abdur-Rahim Strengthens Atlanta Flavor In Athens
- Georgia Bulldogs: The Problem And Promise Of Tom Crean In Athens
- Tom Crean New Head Man For Georgia Bulldogs Basketball
- Georgia Bulldogs: Mark Fox Dismissal Not Clear Cut
Georgia got their first signature win of 2015-16 by beating Georgia Tech. While none of UGA’s three losses on the season were bad by any means (Chattanooga, Seton Hall, Kansas State), the Dawgs needed a solid non-conference win before getting into SEC play.
In their first eight games, the Georgia Bulldogs look to have figured some things out offensively. The celebrated backcourt has given the Dawgs explosiveness no matter who is on the court. J.J. Frazier exploded versus Georgia Tech on Sunday. Kenny Gaines has carried the team at times this season. Charles Mann is more than capable running this high-flying UGA offense.
What has been the most pleasant surprise of the non-conference part of the Georgia Bulldogs’ schedule has been the improved play of sophomore power forward Yante Maten. Maten leads the team with 16.9 points per game and 8.1 rebounds per game. It is remarkable how he seems to get better with every minute of playing time. He’ll become a major player in SEC play without question.
Next: Georgia Bulldogs Basketball: Higher ceiling than last season
Should Georgia limit turnovers on offense and stay competitive on the glass, the Dawgs could their second win over an ACC team this season and give the Clemson Tigers their third loss to an SEC this year. Look for Frazier, Maten, and the rest of the Dawgs to grow in their final two games before SEC play. Go Dawgs!