Bulldogs Set To Host Kentucky, 1983 Final Four Reunion On Saturday

Saturday, February 11

Athens, Ga.

12:00 p.m.

University of Georgia

Kentucky

Bulldogs Set To Host Kentucky, 1983 Final Four Reunion On Saturday

February 10, 2023 | Men's Basketball

Game Notes

Georgia Basketball Game Notes

Georgia (14-10, 4-7 SEC) vs. Kentucky (16-8, 7-4 SEC)
Saturday, February 11 at 12:00 p.m. ET
Stegeman Coliseum (10,523) in Athens, Ga.
Radio: Georgia Bulldog Sports Network (Flagship: WSB AM 750); (Scott Howard, pbp; Chuck Dowdle, analyst; Adam Gillespie (producer)) | Affiliates
TV: ESPN (Rich Hollenberg, pbp; Jimmy Dykes, analyst)
Video Stream: SECN+/ESPN+
Audio Stream: georgiadogs.com
Satellite: SiriusXM: 137 or 190; SXM App: 961
History: UK leads, 131-27 (Full History)
Last Meeting: UK, 85-71, on 1/17/23

No.	Name	PPG	RPG

Georgia Bulldogs
Coach: Mike White
14-10 in 1st at UGA
257-138 in 12th season overall
3	Kario Oquendo	12.7	3.2
(6-4; 220; Jr.; Titusville, Fla.)
4	Jusaun Holt	3.3	3.6
(6-7; 190; Soph.; Tacoma, Wash.)
11	Justin Hill	7.4	2.8
(6-0; 185; Jr.; Houston, Texas)
12	Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe	6.6	4.3
(6-8; 215; Jr.; Toronto, Ontario)
23	Braelen Bridges	7.8	4.5
(6-11; 245; 5th Year; Atlanta, Ga.)

No.	Name	PPG	RPG

KENTUCKY WILDCATS
Coach: John Calipari
381-109 in 11th season at UK
826-249 in 31st season overall
0	Jacob Toppin	11.7	6.5
(6-9; 205; Sr.; Brooklyn, N.Y.)
1	CJ Fredrick	7.3	0.9
(6-3; 185; R-Sr.; Cincinnati, Ohio)
22	Cason Wallace	12.3	3.6
(6-4; 193; Fr.; Dallas, Texas)
24	Chris Livingston	5.6	3.0
(6-6; 220; Soph.; Akron, Ohio)
34	Oscar Tshiebwe	15.5	13.3
(6-9; 260; Sr.; Lubumbashi, D.R. of the Congo)

TEAM COMPARISON

2022-23 STATISTICS	GEORGIA	KENTUCKY
Points Per Game	69.7	67.3
Opp. Point Per Game	68.7	68.0
Scoring Margin	+1.0	-0.7
Field Goal Pct.	.416	.425
Opp. Field Goal Pct.	.425	.426
3-Point Pct.	.330	.303
3-Pointers Per Game	7.2	6.0
Opp. 3-Point Pct.	.303	.353
Free Throw Pct.	.730	.688
Free Throws Per Game	15.7	11.3
Rebounds Per Game	37.5	36.6
Opp. Rebound Per Game	34.8	34.3
Rebound Margin	+2.7	+2.2
Assists Per Game	11.7	12.8
Turnovers Per Game	13.7	12.6
Assist-to-Turnover Ratio	0.85	1.01
Turnover Margin	-2.0	-0.6
Steals Per Game	6.7	6.8
Blocks Per Game	2.9	4.6

The Starting 5...

Eight different Dogs have been used to comprise 11 different starting lineups for UGA this season.
UGA played its last 2 games without leading scorer Terry Roberts, who is among SEC leaders in 6 stats.
UGA will honor its 1983 Final Four team at halftime at Saturday, with 10 players and all 4 coaches on hand.
UGA is ranked No. 2 nationally in bench minutes, with reserves logging 45.5 percent of the Dogs' PT.
UGA's assist-to-TO ratio is up by +.24 since Thanksgiving, the best improvement by an SEC team during that span.

The Opening Tip

The Georgia Bulldogs will host Kentucky's Wildcats in a matinee matchup at noon on Saturday in Stegeman Coliseum. The contest will serve as an 40th anniversary reunion for Georgia's 1983 Final Four team.

Georgia is 14-10 overall and 4-7 in SEC play this season; however, the Bulldogs are 11-2 at Stegeman Coliseum.

Mike White is now 18-3 all-time in Stegeman, an 85.7 winning percentage. He was 1-0 at Louisiana Tech and 6-3 at Florida before arriving in Athens this season.

Kentucky is one of five SEC teams that Georgia will face on a home-and-home basis during the 2022-23 season. The Bulldogs are currently 3-4 against those foes, including a 2-1 record in Athens.

Keeping An Eye On: Entering Today's Game . . .

Jailyn Ingram is...
• 10 points from 1,500 for his career

Justin Hill is…
• 84 points from 1,000 for his career

Series History With Kentucky

Kentucky owns a 131-27 advantage in the all-time series between UGA and UK, including a 44-18 edge in Athens.

In the last matchup at Stegeman Coliseum on Jan. 21, 2021, Georgia snapped a 14-game losing streak to Kentucky with a dramatic 63-62 victory.

The Bulldogs outscored the Wildcats 7-0 over the outing's final 109 seconds to secure the victory, their first over UK since March 7, 2013.

Graduate transfer P.J. Horne scored on a layup with 1.3 seconds remaining to give Georgia the win.

Current Wildcat Sahvir Wheeler played a key role in the Bulldogs' victory that evening, scoring 10 points and dishing out seven assists in a game-high 35 minutes of action.

Georgia and Kentucky also met earlier this season on Jan. 17 at Rupp Arena, with Wildcats rallying from an 11-point, first-half deficit en route to an 85-71 win.

Terry Roberts scored 21 points – his third 20-point outing in five SEC games – to lead the Bulldogs. Roberts also paced Georgia with five rebounds (along with Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe) and three assists. Kario Oquendo added 17 points for the Bulldogs.

Oscar Tshiebwe scored 37 points and grabbed 24 rebounds, the second-most boards ever by a Georgia opponent (behind the 27 by Vanderbilt's Clyde Lee on Jan. 11, 1965).

The Bulldogs played an exceptional first half, shooting 55.6 percent from the floor and 88.9 percent at the line en route to a 42-34 advantage at the intermission. Georgia's first-half lead topped out at 11 points on four occasions, lastly at 42-31 with 56 seconds left in the period.

Tshiebwe scored all of the Wildcats' points in an 11-3 surge to pull Kentucky within 45-43 just 2:41 into the second stanza. He then gathered his own miss off a free throw and assisted a CJ Frederick 3-pointer, which gave the Wildcats their first lead since 14-13.

After the game was tied 57-57, Kentucky went on to outscore the Bulldogs 28-14 over the final 11:26.

Scouting The Wildcats

Kentucky arrives in Athens at 16-8 overall and 7-4 in the SEC.

The Wildcats had their six-game winning streak in league play snapped with a setback to Arkansas on Tuesday night.

Oscar Tshiebwe leads Kentucky offensively (15.5 ppg) and on the glass (13.3 rpg). In fact, he enters the weekend as the nation's top rebounder.

Three more Wildcats are scoring at a double-figure pace – Antonio Reeves (12.9 ppg), Cason Wallace (12.3 ppg) and Jacob Toppin (11.7 ppg).

Former Bulldog Sahvir Wheeler is averaging an SEC-best 5.6 apg. Wheeler has led the league in assists the past two seasons as well, dishing out 7.4 passes-to-points per game at Georgia in 2020-21 and 6.9 per contest at Kentucky last season.

Last Time Out

Braelen Bridges scored a career-high 26 points, but Georgia still dropped a 78-74 decision to Ole Miss on Tuesday night at Stegeman Coliseum.

Bridges was 11-of-15 from the field on the night and also grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds to notch his third double-double of the season. Kario Oquendo added 19 points, and Justin Hill chipped in 13 points and a game- and season-high seven assists (with only one turnover).

The back-and-forth battle featured no less than 13 ties and 15 lead changes. Georgia led for a majority of the contest before Ole Miss used a 6-1 surge to go up 67-73 with 2:40 left and held off the Bulldogs the rest of the way.

Final Four Dogs Back In Town

Twenty-one members of Georgia's 1983 Final Four team are expected back at the Coliseum on Saturday to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their historic run through "March Madness."

The entire coaching staff, led by hall-of-famer Hugh Durham, and 10 players from that roster are slated to attend. The ledger of Bulldogs includes Vern Fleming, the MVP of the 1983 SEC Tournament, and James Banks, the MOP of the East Regional in Syracuse, N.Y.

Georgia entered the SEC tourney in Birmingham that season as the No. 6 seed but proceeded to knock off Ole Miss, Tennessee and Alabama in successive days to secure the conference title and the Bulldogs' first-ever NCAA Tournament bid.

Georgia made the most of that opportunity, reaching the Final Four in Albuquerque before falling to N.C. State, the eventual national champion.

The Bulldogs defeated VCU in Greensboro, N.C., in the Round of 32 to advance to the East Regional at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y.

There, Georgia knocked off top-seeded St. John's, 70-67, and shocked second-seeded North Carolina and Michael Jordan, 82-77, in the "Elite Eight."

Not The Only Final Four in '83

Many members of the Georgia Lady Bulldogs' 1983 Final Four team – including five-time Olympian Teresa Edwards – also will be at Saturday's game. That squad will be officially honored at halftime of Georgia's matchup with Florida on Sunday afternoon.

Much like the men, the Lady Bulldogs made the most of that March. Georgia was just 4-4 in SEC play during the regular season but bested LSU, Tennessee and Ole Miss to win the conference tourney.

The Lady Dogs topped North Carolina, Indiana and Tennessee (again) to secure their first Final Four appearance. Georgia then lost to Southern Cal (and Cheryl Miller) in the NCAA semis.

In 1983, Georgia became the first basketball program to have both its men's and women's teams advance to the NCAA Final Four. UGA held the distinction as the only school to do so for 16 years, until Duke did so in 1999.

Georgia's Four "3-Migos"

Four Bulldogs have made more than 60 percent of their field goals from 3-point range. Each member of that quartet has scored more than half of their total points this season on 3-pointers as outlined below.

Jabri Abdur-Rahim is Georgia's most productive 3-point shot maker, knocking down 1.5 3s per game overall and upping that to 1.7 3FGpg in SEC action.

3-Point Production
Player	3FGs	FGs	Pct.	"3" Pts.	Tot.	Pct.
J. Abdur-Rahim	35	52	67.3	105	181	59.3
M. McBride	31	40	77.5	93	123	75.6
J. Ingram	14	19	73.7	42	60	70.0
J. Holt	13	20	65.0	39	76	51.3
Total	93	131	71.0	279	440	63.4

But They're Not The Only Ones

In addition to the aforementioned quartet of successful long-range shooters, three more Bulldogs have converted on more than 10 3-pointers this season – Terry Roberts with 31, Kario Oquendo with 26 and Justin Hill with 15.

Georgia's tally of seven Bulldogs with double-digit 3-pointers is Georgia's most in a quarter century – since eight Dogs did so during the 1997-98 season.

And on the "Other" End

The Bulldogs enter the weekend ranked No. 21 nationally by holding their opponents to 29.8 percent shooting from 3-point range. Georgia is well on its way to having one of the best 3-point defense marks in program history as outlined below.

Only once in the 37 seasons since the arc was added nationally in 1986-87 has Georgia held its opponents to less than 30 percent from outside the arc – 29.9 percent in 1993-94.

Best 3-point Defending Dogs
RK.	Season	3FG-FGA	Pct
1.	1993-94	158-529	.299
2.	1996-97	191-622	.307
3.	2001-02	219-708	.309
4.	2014-15	207-665	.311
5.	2007-08	215-684	.314

Dogs' Double-Digit Starting 5s

Georgia has mixed and matched eight Bulldogs to comprise 11 different starting lineups over 24 games.

Most of those were in non-conference play when Georgia used eight different quintets over the first 11 contests. The Bulldogs battled through a series of injuries and illnesses that resulted in 16 DNPs by six players. In fact, the Notre Dame game – Georgia's 11th outing – was the first when the entire roster was available.

After settling into a consistent quintet for nine games – from Notre Dame on Dec. 18 to Vanderbilt on Jan. 21 – the Bulldogs' started a ninth and 10th different lineup against Tennessee and South Carolina, respectively. The final pairing came at Texas A&M.

No Bulldog has started every game, although three – Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe, Kario Oquendo and Terry Roberts – have gotten the nod for every game they have played.

Only four Bulldogs – Jabri Abdur-Rahim, Braelen Bridges, Justin Hill and Mardrez McBride – have played in every contest this season.

Lots Of Dogs Lead Scoring

Six different players have led Georgia offensively in games this season.

Including ties in certain contests, Terry Roberts has paced the Bulldogs a team-high 10 times. In addition, Kario Oquendo has been Georgia's top point producer six times, followed by Mardrez McBride in four outings, Braelen Bridges in three, Justin Hill in two and Jabri Abdur-Rahim in one.

Thankful We're Less Giving

Georgia's ball security numbers have taken a distinct turn since Turkey Day.

The Bulldogs recorded more turnovers than assists in each of the first six games prior to Thanksgiving, to the combined tune of 62 assists to 99 TOs. That equated to a paltry 0.63 assist-to-TO ratio.

The Bulldogs have produced even or positive ratios in 13 of 17 contests since then and upped their a-to-TO mark to 0.87. While that still ranks 13th in the SEC, the Bulldogs' improvement taking care of the basketball since Thanksgiving is the best in the league.

Since Turkey Day, nine of the SEC's teams have produced a better assist-to-TO ratio than in their games prior to the holiday, but the Bulldogs own the most positive up-tick as outlined below.

Although "Thanksgiving" seems like a random line to draw, every SEC team had played either five or six games as of Nov. 24 so it seemed like a solid reference point to observe.

Assist-To-TOs Since Turkey Day
Team	11/24	2/8	Diff.
Georgia	0.63	0.87	+.24
Tennessee	1.18	1.33	+.15
Texas A&M	0.96	1.11	+.15
Auburn	1.01	1.13	+.12
S. Carolina	0.70	0.82	+.12
Alabama	0.99	1.07	+.08
LSU	0.92	0.98	+.06
Ole Miss	1.00	1.05	+.05
Arkansas	1.02	1.03	+.01

A Very Productive Bench

The Bulldogs who have come off the bench this season have scored 567 points, 33.8 percent of the 1,677 points put up by Georgia.

The Bulldogs' bench has outscored its opponents' reserves 567-407, a pretty substantial +160 margin...which directly equates to 6.7 ppg. Georgia has won the "bench battle" in 18 of 24 games and tied Auburn (in Athens) in another.

According to KenPom.com, Georgia ranks No. 2 nationally in bench minutes, with reserves accounting for 45.5 percent of the Bulldogs' total PT.

Dogs Start Hot At Home

Georgia won its first 10 games at Stegeman Coliseum, making this just the sixth bunch of Bulldogs ever to post a double-figure home winning streak.

In fact, this season's streak tied the Georgia's sixth-longest overall home winning streak, fifth-best stretch in a single season and fourth-longest span at Stegeman Coliseum as outlined in the next column.

The Bulldogs' longest stretch of home success was in 1930-31 when Bulldogs produced one of two perfect home records in program history and went 16-0.

Georgia's longest overall home winning streak is 25 games – final three games of the 1929-30 season, the 16-0 mark in 1930-31 and the first six dates in Athens of the 1931-23 campaign.

UGA Hoops Home Win Streaks - Overall
Rk.	W's	Span
1.	25	1930-32
2.	20	1939-40
3.	15	1989-90
4.	13	2002-03
5.	11	1998-99
6.	10	2022-23
	10	2007-08
	10	1985-86

UGA Hoops Home Win Streaks - Overall
Rk.	W's	Span
1.	16	1930-31
2.	13	1939-40
3.	12	1989-90
4.	11	2002-03
5.	10	2022-23
	10	2007-08

Drez Hot From 3-Point Range

Mardrez McBride's five 3s against South Carolina equaled what was then Georgia's most successful shots from behind the arc this season, matching Jabri Abdur-Rahim's total versus Vanderbilt and Rider.

McBride improved that standard by connecting on six 3-pointers at Auburn.

In the process, McBride became the first Bulldog to make five or more 3-pointers in successive games in seven seasons...since current graduate assistant Kenny Gaines – he's on the bench if TV wants a shot of him – did so.

Gaines made six 3-pointers against Auburn on Feb. 24, 2016 and followed that with five versus Ole Miss on Feb. 27. A wink to stats guru Dave McMahon for tracking down the aforementioned span.

Rebounding A Team Effort

Getting on the glass has been a team effort for Georgia. A nation-leading 10 different Bulldogs have collected more than 50 boards this season. FYI, Tennessee, Arkansas, UMass Lowell and BYU also have 10 players with 50+ boards this season. A nod to stats guru Dave McMahon for tracking the aforementioned.

Bulldogs' Defense Stiffens

With a Jan. 11 win over Mississippi State, Georgia doubled its overall and SEC win totals from last season. Much of the Bulldogs' success can be attributed to their defense.

During the 2021-22 season, Georgia ranked No. 338 nationally in both scoring defense (78.5 ppg) and field goal defense (.473) and No. 260 in 3-point field goal defense (.439).

The Bulldogs enter this weekend up 170 spots to No. 168 in scoring defense (69.1 ppg), 224 positions to No. 114 in opponent FG percentage (.425) and 239 slots to No. 21 in opponent 3-point percentage (.298) this season.

He Ain't Roy Kent, But...

if you peruse Southeastern Conference statistical leaders, Terry Roberts may have you thinking "He's here. He's there. He's "...and we better stop right there.

The senior from North Amityville, N.Y., entered this weekend's action ranked among league leaders in six categories – No. 4 in assists (4.2 apg), No. 5 in free throw percentage (.819), No. 8 in scoring (15.0 ppg), No. 10 in field goal percentage (.388), No. 11 in steals (1.7 spg) and No. 13 in assist-to-TO ratio (1.39).

Milestones Mount For Bridges

Braelen Bridges reached a trio of significant statistical achievements during a Jan. 11 win over Mississippi State – his 100th game played, 500th rebound and 1000th point.

Bridges also was named SEC Player of the Week on Dec. 19 after an 18-point performance – on 9-of-9 shooting from the floor – in a Holiday Hoopsgiving win over Notre Dame on Dec. 18.

Bulldogs Sign Top-25 Class

Georgia made a bang during NCAA's early signing period, inking a top-25 recruiting class.

The incoming Bulldogs rank as two of ESPN's top-100 prospects in the Class of 2023 – No. 72 Lamariyon "Mari" Jordan and No. 94 Dylan James.

James helped lead Winter Haven High to the semifinals of the 2022 Florida Class 6A state tournament. He was selected as the Lakeland Ledger's Player of the Year after averaging 15.2 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 3.4 blocks, 2.0 apg and 1.3 spg per game last season for the Blue Devils, who finished 23-8.

Jordan was tabbed first-team All-State for Class 6A as a junior after averaging 19.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.4 bpg and 1.2 spg per game for Dacula High. Over three seasons, Jordan compiled 1,257 points, 434 rebounds, 128 blocks, 109 assists and 104 steals for the Falcons.

A "March Madness" Pedigree

Five of Georgia's six first-year transfers played for teams that reached the 2021 or 2022 NCAA Tournaments.

Justin Hill (Longwood) and Jusaun Holt (Alabama) both took part in the "Big Dance" last spring. Frank Anselem (Syracuse), Madrez McBride (North Texas) and Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe (Oklahoma State) all had tickets punched to the 2021 edition of "March Madness."

Ingram Offers Experience

According to research by Middle Tennessee's SID staff, Jailyn Ingram is one of five seventh-year men's players in Division-I basketball this season.

The Madison, Ga., native spent five seasons at Florida Atlantic before returning to his home state prior to the 2021-22 season.

Ingram and others competing for a seventh college season – including a very well-traveled Penn State Nittany Lion – are outlined below.

7th-Year Super Duper Seniors
Name	Schools
Jailyn Ingram	FAU, Georgia
DeAndre Dishman	EKU, MTSU
Juan Munoz	Longwood, Hawaii
DeJuan Clayton	Coppin State, Cal
Michael Henn	UC-Davis, Cal Baptist, Portland, Denver, Penn State