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Georgia Bulldogs to face Ben Simmons’ LSU Tigers

By John Buhler

Jan 10, 2015; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs guard Kenny Gaines (12) drives past LSU Tigers forward Jordan Mickey (25) during the second half of a game at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. LSU defeated Georgia in double overtime 87-84. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 10, 2015; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs guard Kenny Gaines (12) drives past LSU Tigers forward Jordan Mickey (25) during the second half of a game at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. LSU defeated Georgia in double overtime 87-84. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Georgia Bulldogs will get their only crack at the probable No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft in the LSU Tigers’ big man Ben Simmons Tuesday.

The Georgia Bulldogs fresh off their overtime victory over the Arkansas Razorbacks Saturday night, 76-73, will have their hands full when they take on freshman phenom Ben Simmons and the 12-7 (5-2) LSU Tigers Tuesday night. Tipoff at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana will be at 9:00 PM ET and the game will air on the SEC Network.

While the Dawgs moved to 11-6 (4-3) after beating the Hogs on Saturday, they will need to have a solid game plan to account for Simmons, who will likely go No. 1 overall in the 2016 NBA Draft as a one-and-down collegiate player.

The last collegiate freshman to garner this type of praise was nine years ago when DC native Kevin Durant starred for head coach Rick Barnes’ Texas Longhorns in 2007. Durant would go No. 2 overall to the then Seattle SuperSonics in the 2007 NBA Draft, behind Ohio State’s Greg Oden who went to the Portland Trail Blazers No. 1 overall and ahead of Florida’s Al Horford, who went No. 3 overall to the Atlanta Hawks.

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Simmons could potentially stand as a generational type of talent. He leads LSU in points per game (19.6), assists per game (5.1), rebounds per game (12.6), steals per game (1.8), blocks per game (1.0), and field goal percentage (55.6).

He is the 2015-16 LSU Tigers basketball team! It’s like they have a better version of J.J. Frazier and Yante Maten, but in one person. Since this is the Georgia Bulldogs’ lone regular season game against LSU, barring a potential meeting either SEC or NCAA Tournament, this will stand as the only time the Dawgs will play Ben Simmons before the Australian freshman phenom goes pro.

The best way for Mark Fox’s team account for the all-around talent that is Ben Simmons, they will have to hold their own on the glass, while shooting from a high percentage from three-point land, especially if Simmons shuts the door on the Dawgs’ opportunities to get points in the paint with either Maten or Derek Ogbeide.

A couple of things that will help the Georgia Bulldogs against LSU on Tuesday night is that they already have an impressive SEC win on the year with Saturday night’s victory over the Hogs. No team in the SEC plays at Arkansas’ pace so that could help the Georgia Bulldogs if they choose to go up-tempo to try to combat Simmons’ effectiveness as a rangy big man.

Next: Georgia Bulldogs win over Hogs in overtime, 76-73

Georgia also did get its first road win against the Missouri Tigers on January 20th, 60-57 on a Wednesday night in Mizzou Arena. Hopefully the Georgia Bulldogs can extend their current SEC winning streak to three games and get a convincing 12th win on the season by defeating the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge Tuesday night. Let’s Go Dawgs!

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