Head coach Mike White and the Hoop Dawgs are off to a fast 4-0 start after their win over The Enemy (Georgia Tech) on Friday, November 15.
Hopes for the season came with a roaring sense of tournament or bust. The fans long for that fleeting idea of getting to the dance that fades as each season goes on in recent memory; however, Coach White has been a wagon on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal, building this team for a tournament run.
Wins over Tennessee Tech, Texas Southern, North Florida and, most importantly, Georgia Tech have boasted strong performances from some new faces like Asa Newell, the former highly-touted recruit and freshman sensation. Henceforth, this team has momentum as they return from Atlanta to host Alabama A&M on Tuesday, November 19. Then a tough three games with Jacksonville wedged in the middle take place over a 13-day stretch.
The Hoop Dawgs travel to Paradise Island, Bahamas for the Baha Mar Hoops Championship in Imperial Arena. Georgia faces two ranked opponents in No. 15 Marquette and No. 22 St. John’s. After their travel home and date with Jacksonville, the Bulldogs kick off the SEC/ACC Challenge on a date with Notre Dame (an ACC school in basketball and all other sports besides football) in Stegeman Coliseum.
Despite a tough non-conference slate before Southeastern Conference play, one of the deepest leagues in the nation, the Dawgs rank 60th in the nation in remaining strength of schedule and 12th in the SEC. The SEC holds eight spots in the current AP Top 25, so come league play, Georgia will have a tough road ahead of them. It’s a manageable schedule as strength of schedule exhibits, but the Hoop Dawgs must win the games they’re supposed to and shock the world with an upset or two in the conference in order to make one of those coveted 64 spots (68 with the two “play-in, First Four”) in March Madness.
That’s why we brought Coach White to Athens. That is what he is here to do, and Dawg Nation, we must believe in him. His trajectory as a third-year coach tells me that we’re well on our way to reaching the dance for the first time since former head coach Mark Fox took the Dawgs to the tournament in 2015.
On the next page, Matthew Herren details a few requirements the Hoop Dawgs must have in order to do so. The offense and defenses must compliment each other, Matthew laments. Additionally, the fans must rock the Steg and create a hostile environment for visiting teams. Will Hearn gives you the five players of this team that we Dawg fans should keep an eye on. They’ll all be integral parts of this hopeful tournament run.
These are exciting times in Athens, much like those of the early 1980s. Football was succeeding with Herschel Walker toting the rock while Dominique Wilkins, Vern Fleming and Co. were throwing it down in Stegeman Coliseum. Yes, we love this football team here in the Classic City, and Coach Kirby Smart has brought unprecedented success to Athens, but the University of Georgia is not just a football school. We have squads around the athletic department that are fun, talented teams and worth the attention from the red and black faithful. Trust me, Dawg Nation, this 2024-25 Hoop Dawgs team is one you just have to see for yourself. Let’s rock the Steg! Our preview over the next couple of pages will give you everything you need to know to get excited for the remaining basketball season.
Take a peek at the schedule we’ve provided and pick your day to get up to Athens and visit Stegeman Coliseum!
To go along with our Hoop Dawgs preview, I give you five Lady Dawgs to keep your eye on as well! Coach ABE and her squad are looking to hit a 180 after last year’s disappointing run. These ladies are a feisty bunch with a ton of grit, a seemingly great recipe for some improvement from 2023-24 to 2024-25!
REMAINING MEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
Nov. 19 – 7:00 p.m.
Alabama A&M – Athens, Ga
Nov. 23 – 11:00 a.m.
Marquette – Paradise Island, The Bahamas
Nov. 24 11:00 a.m.
St. John’s – Paradise Island, The Bahamas
Nov. 30 – 7:00 p.m.
Jacksonville – Athens, Ga
Dec. 3 – 7:00 p.m.
Notre Dame – Athens, Ga
Dec. 14 – 6:00 p.m.
Grand Canyon – Atlanta, Ga
Dec. 19 – 7:00 p.m.
Buffalo – Athens, Ga
Dec. 22 – 3:30 p.m.
Charleston Southern – Athens
Dec. 29 – 2:00 p.m.
S.C. State – Athens, Ga
Jan. 4 – 12:00 p.m.
Ole Miss – Oxford, Miss
Jan. 7 – 7:00 p.m.
Kentucky – Athens
Jan. 11 – 6:00 p.m.
Oklahoma – Athens, Ga
Jan. 15 – 8:00 p.m.
Tennessee – Knoxville, Tenn.
Jan. 18 – 1:00 p.m.
Auburn – Athens
Jan. 22 – 9:00 p.m.
Arkansas – Fayetteville, Ark.
Jan. 25 – 3:30 p.m.
Florida – Gainesville, Fla.
Jan. 28 – 7:00 p.m.
S. Carolina – Athens
Feb. 1 – TBD
Alabama – Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Feb. 5 – 9:00 p.m.
LSU – Athens
Feb. 8 – 6:00 p.m.
Mississippi St. – Athens
Feb. 11 – 9:00 p.m.
Texas A&M – College Station, Texas
Feb. 15 – 3:30 p.m.
Missouri – Athens
Feb. 22 – 4:00 p.m.
Auburn – Auburn, Ala.
Tuesday Feb. 25 – 7:00 p.m.
Florida – Athens
March 1 – 8:00 p.m.
Texas – Austin, Texas
March 4 – 6:00 p.m.
S. Carolina – Columbia, S.C.
March 8 – 12:00 p.m.
Vanderbilt – Athens