Deep Dive Thread for Georgia

Alabama Gameday Poster courtesy of AlabamaMBB

The Bulldogs are coached in their 4th season by Mike White, who looks to take them back to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. Currently, they sit at 20-9 overall and 8-8 in conference, including solid conference wins of Arkansas, Missouri, and Kentucky.

Their leading scorer has come off the bench in the last 4 games after missing 2 to injury in 6-1 Jeremiah Wilkinson. The Cal transfer is averaging just under 18 points, while also leading the team in steals at just over 1.5 per game. Wilkinson is the highest volume shooter on their team from all 3 levels, where he's also shooting just under 36% from deep.

Wilkinson does not need much room to get off his shot. https://x.com/UGABasketball/status/2026837730500436340?s=20

Their second leading scorer is 6-5 Blue Cain, who is averaging 13.5/5/3. Cain has been super efficient both from the FT line and inside the arc. He has taken a ton of 3s but has not been nearly as efficient from deep as inside the arc. Cain is a good defender, which has a solid steal rate while not committing many fouls per game.

Cain hasn’t been as great from behind the arc but you can’t leave him open because he will make you pay. https://x.com/UGABasketball/status/2026813301192024391?s=20

Since Wilkinson has started coming off the bench, the player who has replaced him in the starting lineup is 5-11 Marcus Millender from UTSA. Millender is averaging 12 pts and 4 assists, which leads the team and is good for 12th best assist rate in conference. On top of his solid assist rate, Millender is an elite 3pt shooter at just under 40% this season but over 42% for his career on very high volume attempts.

Smurf Millender has a solid shot fake but is an elite shooter from deep all together. https://x.com/UGABasketball/status/2025312246201553359?s=20

One of their starters in the front court is 6-9 Kanon Catchings, the BYU transfer. Catchings is a stretch 4, which has been a high volume 3pt shooter and is shooting 42% in conference play on 88 attempts. Catchings is a solid rebounder but has really been a major offensive threat for Georgia this season.

Catchings has multiple moves to finish around the rim. https://x.com/UGABasketball/status/2026815772790497701?s=20

Georgia’s starting center is 6-11 Somto Cyril. Cyril is top 10 in the country in block rate as well as blocking over 2.4 shots per game. His efficiency has been tied to his ability to play above the rim and finish with dunks or through contact in the paint where he is 75% from 2, good for 4th in America largely around his finishing with dunks. Cyril blocked 8 shots in their win against Arkansas, and has been a defensive difference maker.

Cyril loves to play above the rim and finish with authority Alabama must be alert for the lobs. https://x.com/UGABasketball/status/2027864783660200172?s=20

A recent addition to the starting lineup has been 6-8 freshman Kareem Stagg. Stagg has started the last 5 games after only playing double-digit minutes twice in the first 10 conference games. Stagg has given the Bulldogs another player to rebound, block shots, and help on the defensive side of the ball through steals.

A player to watch for is 6-3 Jordan Ross. Ross started a ton of games for Georgia this season but is coming off of an injury in which he missed their last game. The St. Mary’s transfer played 34 minutes in Alabama’s Round of 32 matchup last season, taking 15 shots, but has served more as a defensive and passing option this season for the Bulldogs.

The last 4 guys who you might see in this game are 6-9 Jake Wilkins, 6-9 Dylan James, 6-3 Justin Bailey, and 6-9 Justin Abson. Wilkins is the elite athletic son of Dominique and really lets his athleticism shine to play above the rim. James and Abson have provided some additional rebounding and defense in the front court, while Bailey gives another shooter off the bench.

Wilkins uses athleticism to turn defense to offense. https://x.com/UGABasketball/status/2027868376308052171?s=20

Georgia plays a very deep rotation, which has changed up a good bit this season due to injuries and other factors, so expect them to rotate guys quite often. Georgia has played very fast this season on offense but has done a good job taking care of the basketball while doing it. They are a solid offensive rebounding team for their size and do a great job blocking shots around the rim, especially including Cyril.

Alabama likely will be able to take advantage of a couple of spots. Georgia does not do a good job at all defensively rebounding the basketball, which may lead to some second-chance 3s for Alabama. Additionally, Georgia has not had the assist numbers you might expect from a team which plays with the type of pace they do. When Cyril is off the floor, they also concern me from a standpoint of defense around the rim, which I believe they can struggle with.

My player to watch is Aden Holloway. Aden has been a guy who is playing some of his best defense of the year currently, and when you pair that with the fact that he had 16/10/7 last week and then followed it up with perfect from the 3pt line versus Tennessee, I think he is fully locked in. Additionally, the speed in which Georgia plays perfectly fits what Aden excels in, and I think that Aden will have a ton of success playing in the flow I expect this game to have.

Georgia’s offense this season is much better than it has been over the past few years; however, they have done it with increasing the tempo. That is the gameplay Alabama loves and feels right at home with; when Alabama generally struggles, it is not when a team tries to run with them. I just think Alabama has too many guards which are more than capable of making you pay in the flow that this game will bring.

Prediction: Alabama 96 - Georgia 82

I broke down this game even further on my YouTube Channel. Check it out and Subscribe for More Alabama Basketball Coverage. https://youtu.be/5Vpy4Wz7NDc