Bulldogs Host South Carolina In Second-Straight Saturday Sellout

Georgia Basketball Game Notes
Georgia (11-4, 2-2) vs. South Carolina (10-6, 1-3)
Saturday, January 13, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. ET
Stegeman Coliseum (10,523) in Athens, Ga.
Listen: Georgia Bulldog Sports Network. (Flagship: WSB AM 750 Atlanta; Satellite: Sirius 137; XM 190. (Scott Howard, play-by-play; Chuck Dowdle, analyst; Tony Schiavone, Producer)
TV: SEC Network (Mike Morgan, play-by-play; Dane Bradshaw, analyst)
Video: SECN+

Pos	No.	Name	PPG	RPG

Georgia Bulldogs
Coach: Mark Fox
156-122 in 9th season at UGA
279-165 in 14th season overall
G	0	William Jackson II	10.1	2.5
6-4; 185; Jr.; Athens, Ga.
F	13	E'Torrion Wilridge	1.5	1.5
6-6; 220; Jr.; Beaumont, Texas
F	20	Rayshaun Hammonds	7.9	5.1
6-8; 227; Fr.; Norcross, Ga.
F	1	Yante Maten	19.3	8.9
6-8; 243; Sr.; Pontiac, Mich.
F	34	Derek Ogbeide	7.5	5.7
6-8; 245; Jr.; Atlanta, Ga.

Pos	No.	Name	PPG	RPG

South Carolina Gamecocks
Coach: Frank Martin
106-80 (6th season at USC)
223-134 (11th season overall
G	15	Wesley Myers	6.9	2.4
6-1; 193; Gr.; Brooklyn, N.Y.
G	23	Evan Hinson	2.7	1.3
6-4; 240; Soph.; Deltona, Fla.
F	10	Justin Minaya	8.6	4.5
6-5; 210; Fr.; Harrington Park, N.Y.
F	30	Chris Silva	14.3	7.9
6-9; 223; Soph.; Libreville, Gabon
F	21	Maik Kotsar	8.8	4.6
6-10; 260; Soph.; Tallinn, Estonia

TEAM COMPARISON

GEORGIA		SOUTH CAROLINA
71.7	Points per game	71.3
+6.2	Scoring margin	+5.7
43.8	FG pct.	41.9
38.4	FG defense	41.4
32.5	3FG pct.	33.2
30.4	3FG defense	34.9
6.2	3FGs per game	6.9
71.5	FT pct.	67.1
16.5	FTs per game	16.2
+6.7	Rebound Margin	+5.9
13.9	Assists per game	13.0
1.03	Assists-to-TOs	0.91
4.9	Blocks per game	3.6
4.7	Steals per game	5.6

Game Promotion

UGA students that sit in the end zone of the student section will receive a distraction shirt.

The Starting 5...

In stats for SEC games, UGA leads the league in scoring defense (60.0) and FG defense (.347).
UGA is 8-0 at home this season and has 74 wins at Stegeman since the start of the '12-13 season.
Yante Maten joined UGA's career top-10 rebounders vs. GT and career top-10 scorers vs. Temple.
Derek Ogbeide is averaging 10.3 ppg and shooting 72.0 pct. from the floor in SEC games.
Juwan Parker, the only DI MBB player with a master's, is 3rd on UGA's career FT pct. leaders list.

Bulldogs Host South Carolina In Second-Straight Saturday Sellout

Georgia will entertain South Carolina on Saturday afternoon in what is set to be the Bulldogs' second-consecutive Saturday sellout at the Stegeman Coliseum. As of Wednesday, the only seats that remained were 2,000 free student tickets to be distributed Saturday.

A week ago, a capacity crowd was on hand as Georgia bested Alabama 65-46 behind game-high efforts of 26 points and 11 rebounds from Yante Maten. The Bulldogs are a perfect 8-0 at home this season and have now won 74 games at Stegeman since the beginning of the 2012-13 campaign.

Georgia is 11-4 overall and 2-2 in the SEC.

Maten, who on Thursday was named to the 25-player Midseason Watch List for the Wooden Award, leads Georgia with averages of 19.3 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. Those efforts rank second and first, respectively, among league leaders.

Maten has been a picture of consistency for the Bulldogs since the beginning of his sophomore year. Over the 78 games during that span, Maten has produced 70 double-digit scoring performances, with 29 20-point and five 30-point outings and 22 double-doubles.

Turtle Jackson provides a second a double-figure scoring average at 10.1 ppg. Jackson entered the year with two double-digit outputs in 66 games. He has 10 double-figure performances in 15 outings this season.

South Carolina arrives in Athens with marks of 10-6 overall and 1-3 in the SEC.

Chris Silva paces the Gamecocks with averages of 14.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, while Frank Booker is contributing at a double-digit standard of 10.6 ppg.

Entering Today's Game Among UGA's Career Leaders

Yante Maten is...

89 points from No. 7 J.J. Frazier
23 rebounds from No. 7 Chris Daniels
40 FTs from No. 4 J.J. Frazier
11 FTAs from No. 5 Charles Claxton
22 FTAs from No. 4 Sundiata Gaines
1 blocks from No. 3 Terrell Bell
80 blocks from No. 2 Charles Claxton

Series History With S.C.

Georgia sports a 58-52 lead in its all-time matchups with South Carolina, including a more decisive 33-17 advantage in Athens.

In the most recent matchup last Feb. 4 in Columbia, Georgia fought to the end but fell just short to No. 19 South Carolina 77-75 in the closing seconds at Colonial Life Arena.

The Gamecocks led by nine with 2:21 left before the Bulldogs reeled their deficit back in. A Turtle Jackson free throw cut it to 73-69 with 26 seconds left, but South Carolina converted free throws to secure the win.

The Bulldogs and Gamecocks met exactly a month earlier in Athens, with South Carolina securing a 67-61 victory to snap Georgia's four-game winning streak in the series.

The Gamecocks pushed their two-point halftime advantage to eight on multiple occasions in the second half, but Georgia fought back. Yante Maten, who scored his 1,000th-career point in the game, led the Bulldogs with 18 points, including a 3-pointer that cut the lead to just one with under a minute to go, but Georgia got no closer.

Last Time out

Missouri rallied from a halftime deficit to take control early in the second stanza en route to defeating Georgia, 68-56, at Mizzou Arena on Wednesday evening.

The Bulldogs led virtually the entire first half. Georgia's advantage topped out at seven points on three occasions, lastly at 23-16 with 1:23 remaining in the opening period.

The Tigers scored the final four points of the first half and then opened the second period with an 18-4 surge to go up 38-27 at the 13:26 mark.

The Bulldogs answered quickly, using a 13-5 run covering just 3:04 to close the gap to a bucket. Kassius Robertson thwarted the comeback with a 3-pointer followed by a steal and a breakaway layup to put Missouri up 47-40. The Tigers led by double figures for the final 6:43 of the contest.

Ratin' Maten A Popular Task

Preseason recognition was consistent and plentiful for Yante Maten.

Maten was ranked as one of the nation's top-25 players by three different online ledgers during the preseason. CBSsports.com put him at No. 22, ESPN.com listed him at No. 23 (info below left) and NBCsports.com tabbed him at No. 24.

Maten was tabbed preseason SEC Player of the Year by the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook and a panel of SEC and national media. The media named Maten, Texas A&M's Robert Williams and Missouri's Michael Porter, Jr. as co-player of the year.

Maten was included on watch lists for the Wooden Award, Oscar Robertson Trophy and the Naismith Trophy.

He also received preseason All-America recognition. Jay Bilas, in an obvious plot to prove he's the nation's wisest college hoops analyst, included Maten on his first-team. Among others, he also earned All-America props from the Blue Ribbon Yearbook (third team), www.collegesportsmadness.com (fourth team) and NBCsports.com (honorable mention).

SEC Games Key To RPI

While postseason play is months away, the Bulldogs and the Gamecocks are among a slew of SEC teams with serious NCAA Tournament aspirations. And those hopes are well warranted. A tweak in the NCAA's calulations for its RPI – combined with the SEC's strong showing during non-conference play in November and December – has likely added greater significance to league games this season.

The NCAA is now weighing the location of games in wins and losses to determine their quality. Most notably, a "Q1" victory is a home win over a team ranked in the RPI's top 30, a neutral site victory over a team in the top 50 or a road "W" against a team featured within the top 75.

When SEC play, the league featured five teams in the top-15 of the RPI, with five more included in the top-80.

The league is extremely well represented in the NCAA's RPI. Through mid-week action, no less than nine SEC teams were included in the top-50 of the RPI, including Georgia at No. 41. South Carolina was among three more league teams in the top 75 at No. 71.

Dogs Turning Up The 'D'

Georgia has traditionally been one of the SEC's – if not the nation's – most consistent defensive teams under Mark Fox.

Georgia finished in the SEC's top-3 in field goal percentage defense – both overall and in SEC action – during five of Fox's first eight seasons in Athens. The Bulldogs led the league in stats for SEC games only during both 2013-14 and 2015-16.

Early this season, Georgia was certainly not living up to those lofty standards. In non-conference play, the Dogs ranked sixth in scoring defense (67.5 ppg) and FG defense (.397).

Georgia currenly leads the SEC in scoring defense (60.0) and field goal defense (.347) in stats for league games only.

The Bulldogs held No. 16 Kentucky to 66 points and Ole Miss to 60, their second-lowest point production of the season. Georgia then kept Alabama to a season-low 46 points.

Parker Checks Off Another Item

Juwan Parker has enjoyed an extremely productive five years in Athens.

The redshirt senior from Tulsa earned his bachelor's degree in two and a half years, received his master's last summer and – perhaps most importantly – became engaged to Aliyah Johnson, an All-American jumper for the UGA track & field team, last fall.

Parker produced the best outing of his 96-game at Georgia career on Jan. 3 against Ole Miss, when career-high outputs of 18 points and 11 boards supplied him with his first career double-double.

Parker did much of his damage from 3-point range. He made more 3s against the Rebels (four) than he did in the first 12 games combined (three). Parker was 4-of-4 from behind the arc and scored three more points after being fouled on another attempt there.

Harris, Ogbeide Tally Too

In addition to Juwan Parker's career-high 18 points against Ole Miss, Derek Ogbeide and Jordan Harris notched season-high outputs of 14 and 12 points, respectively.

Ogbeide posted his second-straight season-best performance, following a 13-point outing at No. 16 Kentucky. He is averaging 10.3 ppg in SEC play at an extremely efficient pace, shooting 72.0 percent (18-of-25) from the floor.

Harris has been solid in each of Georgia's last four home outings. Harris averaged 10.6 ppg while shooting 70.6 percent (12-of-17) from the field against Tech, Temple and Ole Miss. He grabbed a career-high six rebounds versus Alabama.

Bulldogs' Bench Producing

Last season, Georgia's bench outscored its opponents' reserves nine times in 34 games.

This season, the Bulldogs' non-starters have produced more points than their counterparts in 11 of 15 outings.

Georgia's bench finished 2016-17 with a -95 scoring margin.

This year, the Bulldogs are +73, a massive swing of 168 points.

Dogs Flip Script with Starting 5

Four-guard lineups are a relatively common fixture in college basketball. Georgia has utilized a four-forward starting quintet for 10 of 15 games this season...the first five and the last five.

William "Turtle" Jackson was the only starter in those outings labeled as a "G" on the Bulldogs' roster.

In addition, Georgia started 6-6 E'Torrion Wilridge at the '2,' 6-8 Rayshaun Hammonds at the '3,' 6-8 Yante Maten at the '4' and 6-8 Derek Ogbeide at the '5.'

SEC Hoops Moving Forward

The SEC has certainly continued its upwardly trending national reputation. That increased respect was front and center at the end of last season.

The SEC received five bids to the 2017 NCAA Tournament, the fifth-most of any conference. The league then proceeded to tie the ACC (which had nine teams receive NCAA bids) for the most wins during "March Madness" with 11.

Three league schools reached the "Elite Eight" round of the tournament, including an All-SEC East Regional final between South Carolina and Florida. In the Jan. 10 edition of the NCAA RPI, nine SEC teams were featured in the top 50 and 12 were included in the top 75. As on Monday, the Southeastern Conferene led the nation in:

Top-30 RPI teams (6 - tied with ACC)
Top-70 RPI teams (11)
Top-50 SOS's (9)
"Q1" + "Q2" wins (47)
"Q4" losses (0)

In addition, the league was second with eight top-50 RPI teams.

This Turtle Starting Quickly

William "Turtle" Jackson entered the season with two double-digit scoring performances in 66 games played at Georgia.

He has done so in 10 of the Bulldogs' first 15 outings of 2017-18.

Jackson produced a quartet of career-high scoring outputs in the first five games (from 10 points entering the season to 11 to 13 to 16 to 17). In fact, he reached double figures in the scoring column in the first half alone of the first two games.

Jackson had 11 points – all in the first half – against Bryant.

Against USC Upstate, Jackson scored first-half 10 points and added three more following the break.

That mark lasted two games until Jackson knocked down 16 points versus Cal State Fullerton in the Wooden Legacy...and then topped that with 17 points less than 24 hours later against San Diego State.

While his scoring has increased from 2.8 ppg entering the season to 10.1 ppg, Jackson continues to do much of his damage from behind the 3-point arc.

This season, 28 of his 50 made field goals (56.0 percent) have been 3-pointers. For his career, 57.7 percent (64-of-111) of Jackson's makes from the floor have been 3s.

Maten Earns SEC Accolade

Yante Maten was named the SEC Player of the Week on Dec. 26, after leading Georgia to decisive victories over Georgia Tech and Temple. The senior forward from Pontiac, Mich., averaged 27.0 points and 9.0 rebounds while connecting on 56.7 percent of his shots from the floor in those contests.

Those performances had historic implications. Maten joined Georgia's top-10 career rebounding leaders in the outing against Tech and then ascended into the Bulldogs' top-10 career scoring leaders versus the Owls. Maten is one of only four Bulldogs included on both of UGA's career top-10 ledgers for points and rebounds.

The performance against Temple represented Maten's third 30-point, 10+ rebound outing of his career. Since 1996-97, Bulldogs have posted six such performances – three by Maten and one each by Trey Thompkins, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jumaine Jones.

The SEC Player of the Week recognition is Maten's second of his career. He also was honored on Jan. 2 last season.

Crump's Career Night Lifts Dogs

Tyree Crump's career-high 17 points against No. 21 Saint Mary's all came during the second half and overtime.

Crump had struggled mightily up until that point, connecting on just 8-of-32 (.250) shots from the floor and 5-of-24 (.208) from 3-point range through the first five and a half games.

Crump knocked down back-to-back 3s in a 37-second span early in the second half and went on to connect on 6-of-10 shots overall and 4-of-6 3-pointers the rest of the way.

Much like Turtle Jackson, Crump has done most of his damage from 3-point range. This season, 17 of his 26 makes (65.4 percent) from the floor have been 3-pointers. In his career at Georgia, 36-of-59 field goals (61.0 percent) are trifectas.

Dogs Go Viral...In A Bad Way

Georgia played through a stomach ailment that plagued 11 of 15 players on the Bulldogs' roster during the Wooden Legacy.

The illness originally hit around 2:00 a.m. PT on Friday, Nov. 24 following the win over Cal State Fullerton. About half the team, including multiple starters, were among the original group. Even more became ill after the San Diego State game.

Georgia entered its matchup with Saint Mary's with five unaffected players; however, Turtle Jackson, one of those, became ill in the first half and was forced to the locker room.

Still, the Bulldogs battled to force overtime against the Gaels and eventually win.

"It was a team win," Mark Fox said. "We've had a tough couple of days. We had 10 guys get the stomach flu up until tip time today, and we turn around in the first half and our point guard, who hadn't had it, gets sick. To battle through that the last couple of days and to compete tonight like a unit like we did and beat a very good Saint Mary's team, I'm extremely proud of our players."

Parker Heats Up In Cali

Redshirt senior Juwan Parker put together three solid outings over the Thanksgiving holiday at the Wooden Legacy.

In Georgia's first three games of the season, Parker averaged just 2.3 points, 1.7 rebounds and 12.0 minutes while shooting 20.0 percent from the floor.

In California, Parker averaged 12.0 points, 3.3 boards and 20.3 minutes and connected on 52.6 percent of his field goal attempts.

Hammonds Gets Nod For Opener

Rayshaun Hammonds became the first freshman to start the opener for Georgia since Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in 2011-12.

Hammonds was expected to do so after he got the nod for both of the Bulldogs' exhibitions, including a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds versus Valdosta State.

Hammonds also enjoyed an impressive "official" debut versus Bryant, scoring 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the floor.

That was the highest output by a UGA freshman in an opener in a decade and a day - since Jeremy Price scored 18 points against Jacksonville State on Nov. 9, 2007.

FYI, Caldwell-Pope, who signed an $18- million contract to play for the Lakers this season, had 15 points in his debut vs. Wofford.

While Hammonds became the first freshman to start an opener in six years, freshman starters is nothing new under Mark Fox.

Six members of 10 returning letterwinners also started as freshmen - seniors Yante Maten and Juwan Parker; juniors Mike Edwards and Derek Ogbeide; and sophomores Tyree Crump and Jordan Harris.

Foxes Donate Almost $20K

Head coach Mark Fox and his wife Cindy donated $1 to charity for every fan who attended the Bulldogs' three November home games. The amount was split equally between the Boys and Girls Club of Athens and the Clarke County Mentor Program.

The Foxes contributed $18,976 to those groups ($9,488 to each). Georgia drew 7,387 fans for the opener against Bryant - UGA's biggest crowd for a season opener in a decade - as well as 5,369 for the Upstate date and 6,220 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

Mark Fox announced their effort in an Oct. 12 tweet.

Cindy Fox is on the board for Clarke Mentors, which recruits community volunteers to mentor children who attend the Clarke County School District. Derrick Floyd, director of operations for the Athens Boys and Girls Club, was a letterwinner for the Bulldogs from 1980-83 and today serves as the official scorer for Georgia basketball games and the SEC Tourney.

"Those groups are working to try and make the next generation better and to make society better," Mark Fox said. "If we can give them a little help, that's great."

Bulldogs Are HomeGrown

More than half of Georgia's roster played high school hoops in the Peach State - Tyree Crump (Bainbridge High School), Rayshaun Hammonds (Norcross High School), Jordan Harriss (Seminole County High School), Christian Harrison (Woodward Academy), Teshaun Hightower (Collins Hill High School), "Turtle" Jackson (Athens Christian), Connor O'Neill (Blessed Trinity High School) and Derek Ogbeide (Pebblebrook High School).

Bulldogs Host South Carolina In Second-Straight Saturday Sellout

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Tyree Crump

Mike Edwards

J.J. Frazier

Rayshaun Hammonds

Jordan Harris

Teshaun Hightower

William Jackson II

Yante Maten

Connor O'Neill

Derek Ogbeide

Juwan Parker

E'Torrion Wilridge

Bulldogs Host South Carolina In Second-Straight Saturday Sellout

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Tyree Crump

Mike Edwards

J.J. Frazier

Rayshaun Hammonds

Jordan Harris

Teshaun Hightower

William Jackson II

Yante Maten

Connor O'Neill

Derek Ogbeide

Juwan Parker

E'Torrion Wilridge

Related Videos