Georgia needed a dominant win over Vanderbilt to increase its NCAA tournament hopes and they got the job done. In their 31st and final regular-season game, the Dawgs defeated Vanderbilt 79-68, extending their winning streak to four games in the toughest conference in the country. For the first time in 10 years, Georgia has likely clinched a spot in the Big Dance. 

Vanderbilt, coming off a tough loss to a good Arkansas team, was looking for a Quad 1 win over a red-hot Georgia. Georgia had also held a stellar 14-3 record at home before this match up, a testament to their ability to protect their home court.  

The first half was a back-and-forth battle, marked by fouls and turnovers from both teams. Asa Newell committed two fouls in the first four minutes, forcing him to sit most of the half. However, Georgia’s depth in the frontcourt proved to be an asset, as all four big men stepped up in his absence. Foul trouble was an issue for both sides, with each team committing 11 fouls in the half. Vanderbilt held the edge in ball control, winning the turnover battle with just five compared to Georgia’s nine. Despite the miscues, the Dawgs kept pace, entering halftime tied 39-39. 

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The second half was a different tell. Georgia exploded offensively, pulling away and extending its lead to as many as 17 points with four minutes left. Dakota Leffew and Tyrin Lawrence were instrumental in the explosion, with Leffew scoring all 14 of his points in the second half. This game was more special to these two players because it was Senior Day for them as well. 

Four players finished in double figures, and all nine players who saw action logged at least 10 minutes. Head Coach Mike White stuck with the recent starting lineup, opting for three bigs instead of two—a move that has significantly impacted the team’s recent winning success. 

This marks just the sixth 20-win season in program history and the first potential NCAA tournament appearance for Georgia in a decade. While this would be Mike White’s first trip to the tournament as UGA’s head coach, he is no stranger to March Madness from his previous coaching stops. If the Dawgs are selected, they will aim to break a tough trend—with their last three tournament appearances ending in the Round of 64. 

Up next, Georgia faces Oklahoma in the first round of the SEC Tournament. A strong showing in Nashville could help them improve their NCAA tournament seeding. The Dawgs already hold a victory over the Sooners this season and will look to repeat that success. 

Mike White’s Postgame Interview

“Great win for our team, for our program. It’s four in a row in the best league in the history of basketball, college basketball. Vanderbilt’s terrific, similar to a lot of a lot of the other wins that we’ve had, a few of them at least in this league, where you’re begging for a stop, you’re begging for an open look. Just two good teams getting after it. Vanderbilt’s connected and resilient and tough and physical and they guard you. I think they did a great job of changing defenses .They’ve got good really good balance too offensively and diverse pieces that they utilize really well and they’re going to be a really tough out in the next couple tournaments. So, we’re very fortunate. I feel really good about the way that we played. We continue to grow and get better. It was a really big win for us.”

On the team’s process over the course of the season…

“Process, that’s it. I’m sorry. I know y’all want more than that. I’m sorry, that’s where we’re at. Day off tomorrow, Monday have a great practice. These guys have embraced that, they bought into it. They continue to just get better because we’re not focused on that big picture. This is all I’ll say about it. I would assume we’re in. I mean, we’re good, we’re good. Our whole league is good. And there’s going to be a bunch of teams in our league that make it and that do damage in the NCAA tournament. But we’re focused right now on having a great practice again on Monday, prepping to play well, to continue to ride this momentum, to continue to improve in Nashville one day at a time, that’s it.”

On keeping guys bought-in despite lows throughout the season…

“Two huge in-season responses, two four-game losing streaks. We didn’t lose to a bad team. I’m not sure we were favored in any of those. Y’all would have a better idea. The narrative is what is wrong with Georgia? Wheels falling off. Are you kidding me? We lost to really, really good teams. We played more top teams than any team in college basketball played. But again, it’s the best league in the history of college basketball. I think going into this game, if I’m not mistaken, our worst loss was to net 39. I mean, we didn’t even have an average loss, let alone a bad loss. We’ve taken care of business. We’ve been incredibly consistent. The mid-major teams we played, we did well against. We had a road win at Georgia Tech. We had a home win against Notre Dame. I mean, played Marquette close for a long time. We just got a chance to make a deep run, beat St. John’s. And then we find a way to go 8-10 in this league, continue to get better through it. The resilience, continuing to talk about the big picture. There’s a lot of teams that in this league over the past couple years has gotten better and better and better, have had a couple of losing streaks and bounce back. Or are in a really good spot, and then the wheels do fall off. And how do you respond again to the positivity, to the negativity? Let’s just focus on today. And again, we’ve got a team that’s very young but mature beyond their years. Who were the guys? All of our guys. Really, all of our guys. Silas [Demary Jr.] and Blue [Cain] have stepped up as sophomores in their leadership. Want to, in their leadership skills. Aca [Newell] led from day one with his example. RJ Godfrey as well. Justin Abson. Somto Cyril has come a long way, made some huge plays today. And these two seniors, and I’m leaving some guys out. Dylan James is as consistent as anyone I’ve coached. And these two seniors that we have, finished as strong as possible. Same guys every day, Dakota [Leffew] and Tyrin [Lawrence]. Came back from Atlanta originally to wear the G, proud of those guys. Played as well as they played all year on senior day. It’s a neat day; it’s a really neat moment for those two guys.”

On the caliber of the SEC this season…

“I don’t think there’s just one thing. We’ve got a great roster of head coaches and staffs. I think the commitment from the athletic directors, from the fan bases, facilities. We’ve got a few facilities in this league that are newish. We’ve got some others that have had work done to them. I think the SEC Network has been a big factor. The uptick in recruiting, I think, is because of all of those other things. And now we’re sitting here in a league that’s unbelievable.”

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