The Georgia Bulldogs will wrap up their 2015-16 regular-season slate on Saturday afternoon when they host Alabama at Stegeman Coliseum at 4 p.m.
 
 

Game Notes

 

Georgia (16-12, 9-8 SEC) vs. Alabama (17-12, 8-9 SEC)

Saturday, March 5 at 4:00 p.m. ET

Stegeman Coliseum (10,523) in Athens, Ga.

TV: ESPN2 (Brad Nessler, PBP; Sean Farnham, Color)

Radio: Georgia Bulldog Network by IMG

(Scott Howard, PBP; Chuck Dowdle, Color; Tony Schiavone, Producer)

Flagship: WSB AM 750; Sirius: 134; XM: 192

 
 
The Starting Five

• UA leads the all-time series with UGA, 90-48, including a 30-29 advantage in Athens.

• UGA leads the SEC and ranks No. 4 nationally in field goal percentage defense at .380.

• UGA began SEC play No. 8 in the league in rebound margin (+1.6). In stats for SEC games, UGA is No. 2 (+4.6).

• J.J. Frazier was named the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s 2016 Georgia College Player of the Year this week.

• Seniors Kenny Gaines and Charles Mann have helped  UGA to: 1) post four straight .500 records in SEC play for the first time ever; 2) notch its most-ever SEC wins in a two-, three- and four-season spans; and 3) win 52 home games, it’s most ever in a four-season stretch.

 
 

Georgia Ends Regular Season With Matchup Against Alabama

The Bulldogs enter their finale riding high following a 74-72 victory at South Carolina on Thursday night. Georgia joined Kentucky as the only two teams to defeat the Gamecocks in Columbia this season and in the process improved to 16-12 overall and 9-8 in SEC play.

Kenny Gaines scored 20 points – his third consecutive 20-point outing – and J.J. Frazier added 19 – including 10 in the final 2:44 – to lead the Bulldogs.

Frazier and Gaines have been quite the 1-2 scoring punch of late. Frazier is averaging 23.8 ppg over the Bulldogs final four outings, while Gaines has popped for 22.0 ppg during UGA’s most three contests.

 
 

Frazier averages team highs of 16.4 ppg overall and 16.8 ppg in SEC play. 

While Frazier’s point production gets most of the attention, his overall game has been quite spectacular this season. He currently ranks among the SEC’s top-10 leaders in seven stats – No. 4 in steals, No. 5 in assist-to-TO ratio, No. 6 in 3-point percentage, No. 7 in scoring, No. 8 in free throw percentage, No. 8 in 3-pointers per game and No. 10 in assists.

Yante Maten is contributing 15.8 ppg overall and 15.3 ppg in league action. The sophomore from Pontiac, Mich., is the top boarding Bulldog, averaging 8.1 rpg overall and 8.5 rpg versus SEC competition.

Also averaging double figures both overall and in SEC play are seniors Gaines (13.7 overall/13.3 SEC) and Charles Mann (10.4 overall/10.6 SEC).

All told, the quartet of Frazier, Gaines, Mann and Maten has accounted for 80 of the Bulldogs’ 83 double-figure scoring outputs this season.

 
 

Alabama slipped to 17-12 overall and 8-9 in the SEC with the Tide’s 62-61 setback to Arkansas on Wednesday in Tuscaloosa.

Retin Obasohan averages 17.8 ppg overall and an even more impressive 20.9 ppg against SEC competition.

Shannon Hale chips in 10.6 ppg, while a balanced offensive attack features five more player contributing between 5.6-9.3 ppg for the Tide.

 
 

Keeping An Eye On…Entering Today’s Game:

 

Among UGA’s career Leaders

 

Charles Mann is…

• 15 points from No.17 Willie Anderson

• 16 points from No. 16 Ezra Williams

• 13 assists from No. 7 Pertha Robinson

• 14 assists from co-No. 5 Vern Fleming and Dustin Ware

 

Kenny Gaines is…

• 13 points from No. 19 Charles Claxton

• 10 3FGs from No. 4 Ezra Williams

• 4 3FGAs from No. 5 Dustin Ware

 

J.J. Frazier is…

• 2 3FGs from co-No. 11 Ty Wilson and Ray Harrison

• 8 3FGs from No. 10 Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

 
 

Series History With The Tide

Alabama leads the overall series with Georgia 90-48 and also owns a slim 30-29 edge in games contested here in Athens.

Last season, Georgia snapped a two-game losing streak and picked up a vital 66-65 overtime victory over the Tide in Tuscaloosa. The Bulldogs trailed by one before Cameron Forte hit a jumper with seven seconds left in OT.

Alabama had an opportunity to retake the lead, but Yante Maten blocked the shot attempt to all but seal the win.

Georgia led for most of the first half, but Alabama ended the period on a 13-4 run to tie the game at 24-24 at the break.

The Bulldogs used a 14-4 run to build an eight-point lead with just under nine minutes remaining. However, the Crimson Tide battled back and tied the game at 51-51 with just under five minutes remaining.

The second half featured no less than six ties and eight lead changes before the teams finished regulation tied at 61-61.

Georgia never led in overtime until Forte’s dramatic game-winner.

In the most recent matchup in Athens on Jan. 11, 2014, Kenny Gaines and Charles Mann scored 22 points apiece as Georgia beat Alabama 66-58 in the SEC home opener.

After the Tide grabbed an early lead, Georgia closed the opening period on a 19-8 run to take a 34-23 lead, largely behind Gaines’ 16 first-half points.

Alabama pulled within three points in the second half, but a resilient Georgia team fought back, riding a 9-3 run with seven minutes remaining to re-solidify the lead.

With the win, Georgia started 2-0 in Southeastern Conference play for the first time since the 2001-02 season.

 
 

Last Time Out

Led by 20 points from senior Kenny Gaines, Georgia went on the road and completed its season sweep of South Carolina on Thursday, defeating the Gamecocks 74-72.

Gaines’ 20-point effort marks his third straight game scoring at least 20 points and the sixth time this season.

“South Carolina is a very good team,” Mark fox said. “I think they are an NCAA tournament team. We really had to battle and show our competitive toughness. We had a lot of guys make big plays down the stretch with Kenny Gaines and certainly J.J. Frazier hitting big shot.  We are very proud of our team.”

Gaines’ hot hand led Georgia for the majority of the half as the senior scored several straight baskets. The Bulldogs’ defense was the story of the first period, holding the Gamecocks to just 33.3-percent shooting from the field en route to 39-34 lead at halftime.

The Bulldogs scored the first four points after intermission, but South Carolina answered with a small run of its own.

The Gamecocks tied things up at 49-49 midway through the half, eventually taking the lead at 51-49 with nine minutes to go. South Carolina built their lead to five, but Georgia answered with a 7-0 run capped off by a basket from freshman Mike Edwards to reclaim the lead.

Both teams traded leads over the final four minutes, but it was Georgia who scored when it mattered most. Frazier buried the dagger, a long 3-pointer at the end of a 9-0 Georgia run, putting the Bulldogs up six with a minute to play to ensure the victory.

 
 

A Special “Senior Day” IN Athens

Not unlike any other of the nation’s 351 Division I men’s basketball programs, Georgia will host “Senior Day” festivities prior its home finale. The two Bulldogs who will be honored are distinctly different than most seniors in college basketball.

Kenny Gaines and Charles Mann are Peach State natives who chose to attend their state university and help build the stature of Georgia Basketball. Over the past four years, they’ve done just exactly that.

On Thursday, Georgia secured its ninth Southeastern Conference win of the year to guarantee a finish of .500 or better in league play for the fourth straight season. That marks the first time in 84 campaigns of SEC basketball that the Bulldogs have had four straight .500 or better results.

During that time, Georgia also has posted its largest SEC win totals over a two-year (23), three-year (32) and four-year (41) span.

Gaines and Mann have helped lead the Bulldogs to 52 victories at Stegeman Coliseum over the past four years. That already represents the winningest four-season home stretch in school history, topping the 50 victories in spans from 2010-11 through 2013-14 and 2011-12 through 2014-15.

 
 

Let’s Make More History

Georgia secured a fourth straight finish of .500 or better at South Carolina. With a win over Alabama, the Bulldogs would finish with their third straight winning record in SEC play for just the second time ever.

Georgia posted successive SEC records of 9-7 in 1994-95, 9-7 in 1995-96 (when the Bulldogs reached the NCAA “Sweet 16”) and 10-6 in 1996-97.

FYI, the Bulldogs finished 11-7 and tied for third in the SEC last season. That followed a 12-6 record in 2013-14 when Georgia tied for second in the league and a 9-9 effort during the 2012-13 season.

The Bulldogs have finished .500 or better in SEC play for three straight seasons just five times prior to the current streak of four straight efforts, doing so from 1968-70, 1981-83, 1985-87 and 1995-97.

 
 

Gaines, Mann Rewriting Records

Kenny Gaines and Charles Mann are consistently making moves on UGA’s career scoring leaders ledger.

Mann entered the season at No. 36 among the Bulldogs’ all-time points leaders and has ascended to No. 18. Gaines became Georgia’s 46th 1,000-point scorer against Clemson on Dec. 22and is now No. 20.

Entering the regular-season finale, Mann has 1,333 points, 15 off the current No. 17 Willie Anderson and 16 away from No. 16 Ezra Williams.

Gaines currently has 1,261 points, 13 away from No. 19 Charles Claxton and then 72 off of the current No. 18 – some guy named Charles Mann.

 

A Massive Amount of “Pt”

Peach State natives Kenny Gaines, who is from Atlanta, and Charles Mann, who hails from Alpharetta, have played a significant roles since they arrived on campus in 2012.

Between them, Gaines and Mann have a combined 246 games played, 188 starts and 6,424 minutes played.

Much of those numbers have been compiled together.

Gaines and Mann have started together for 84 of Georgia’s 94 contests since the beginning of the their sophomore year of 2013-14. All told, they have played 2,037 minutes and three seconds together at Georgia.

 
 

Frazier Cranks It Up After Half

J.J. Frazier has shown quite the penchant for second-half scoring.

Frazier poured in 24 points after the intermission at Auburn last Wednesday, the junior’s fourth 20-point second-half this season. He poured in 22 of his season-high 35 points against Georgia Tech after the break on Dec. 19. He also scored 21 points in the second halves of matchups against Tennessee on Jan. 13 and at LSU on Jan. 26.

Frazier fell a single point from a fourth straight 20-point outing at South Carolina but had a dramatic impact on the game’s outcome. He scored 10 of his 19 points in the final 2:44, including a long-range bomb with 1:14 left and 5-of-6 free throws in the final 38 seconds.

 
 

Dogs’ “D” Has Been Consistent

Georgia currently leads the Southeastern Conference and is No. 4 nationally in field goal defense at 38.0 percent. The Bulldogs have held 25 of 28 opponents under their season field goal percentage.

During the 2015 calendar portion of the schedule, Georgia’s opponents connected on a paltry 36.6 percent (218-of-596) of their shots from the field. Subtract out those totals and UGA’s opposition made 45.8 percent (3203-of-6990) of their field goals attempted.

Georgia also has held 14 of its 17 SEC foes under their season shooting performance from the floor.

In the league opener on Jan. 2, Florida became the first team to shoot a better percentage against the Bulldogs than otherwise. The Gators entered the game shooting 42.2 percent but hit 42.3 – yes, .1 of one percent better – versus Georgia.

Texas A&M was the first team to make half its attempts against UGA at 52.7 percent. Kentucky also did so, shooting 51.8 percent.

 
 

A Positive Breakout

Not that the media needs any self affirmation but the folks who predicted Yante Maten would be one of the nation’s “breakout” players this season – including those at CBS, NBC and SI – are probably feeling pretty good.

Most expected Maten to up his contributions following the departure of senior frontcourt playing mates Nemanja Djurisic and Marcus Thornton.

He’s done more than just that.

As a freshman a year ago, Maten averaged 5.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 18.2 minutes per game for the Bulldogs.

This season, Maten has more than tripled his scoring (15.8 ppg) and also has upped both his rebounding (8.1 rpg) and playing time (29.8 mpg) by massive chunks.

Maten has posted five career-high scoring outputs, including four in the first seven games. He improved from 13 points entering the year, to 17 points versus Chattanooga in the opener, to 21 points in back-to-back outings against Seton Hall and Oakland, and to 24 points versus Winthrop. Maten topped that mark with 25 points at Mississippi State.

Maten’s increased production can actually be traced back to last year’s postseason. He notched his first double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds against South Carolina in the SEC Tourney.

 
 

That opened an active 31-game stretch in which Maten has recorded: 

• 25 of his 29 double-digit scoring outputs;

• All nine of his 20-point performances;

• All 10 of his career double-figure rebounding efforts; and

• All nine of his double-doubles.0

 
 

Better Boarding Bulldogs

Georgia’s rebounding efforts have improved consistently this season.

The Bulldogs entered SEC play ranked No. 8 in the league in rebounding margin at +1.6.

Through 16 conference dates, Georgia has climbed to No. 4 at +3.2. More impressively, the Bulldogs are No. 2 in rebound margin against SEC opponents at +4.6.

Much of that improvement can be contributed to Yante Maten. The sophomore from Pontiac, Mich., has upped his rebounding numbers from 7.5 rpg in games during the 2015 calendar to 8.5 rpg versus SEC foes.

In addition, freshman forwards Derek Ogbeide and Mike Edwards also have increased their boarding averages. Ogbeide was at 3.2 rpg in Georgia’s first 10 games but is grabbing 6.0 rpg in SEC play, while Edwards has jumped from 2.8 rpg to 3.6 rpg.

 
 

Bulldogs In The BPI & RPI

Georgia is No. 56 in the ESPN’s Basketball Power Index (BPI) and No. 75 in the NCAA’s Ratings Percentage Index (RPI).

The Bulldogs’ strength of schedule, which was ranked as the nation’s toughest in both ledgers for a good bit of December, is No. 11 in the BPI and No. 24 in the RPI. Georgia’s non-conference RPI is ranked No. 4.

 
 

Season Ledgers Getting Updated

Several of Georgia’s single-season top-10 statistical leaders ledgers are being updated almost on a game-by-game basis. To date:

•Kenny Gaines’ 75 3FGs ranks No. 8, two shy of No. 7 Ezra Williams (2002-03).

•J.J. Frazier’s 68 3FGs ranks No. 11, one shy of No. 10 Jody Patton (1990-91)

•Kenny Gaines’ 185 3FGAs ranks No. 8, one shy of co-No. 6s G.G. Smith (1997-98) and Ezra Williams (2002-03).

•Charles Mann’s 131 FTs ranks No. 11, four shy of No. 10 Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (2012-13).

•Charles Mann’s 188 FTAs ranks No. 6, 32 shy of No. 5 Charles Mann (2014-15).

•Yante Maten’s 52 blocks ranks No. 9, four shy of No. 8 Lavon Mercer (1978-79).

 
 

Frazier 100 Assists, 50 3s Again

J.J. Frazier has 118 assists and 68 made 3-pointers, topping the century and half-century marks for the second consecutive year.

Last season, Frazier posted 104 assists and knocked down 50 3-pointers.

Frazier joins G.G. Smith as the only two Bulldogs to reach those milestones twice. All told, UGA players have accomplished that feat eight times as outlined below.

 

100 Assist, 50 “3” Bulldogs

 

Season Player Asts. 3FGs

1991-92 Litterial Green 115 62

1995-96 Katu Davis 122 62

1996-97 G.G. Smith 148 52

1997-98 G.G. Smith 148 81

2000-01 D.A. Layne 108 65

2010-11 Dustin Ware 114 57

2014-15 J.J. Frazier 104 50

2015-16 J.J. Frazier 118 68

 
 

Injuries At An Inopportune Time

After a relatively injury-free preseason, the Bulldogs were bitten hard in the week of the season opener.

Following a Nov. 6 exhibition outing, freshman Derek Ogbeide (pronounced “Ohwg-Bay-Day”) suffered a shoulder injury that kept him out of action for four weeks.

In addition, Juwan Parker, who started the first 14 games last season, has been held out of action since the exhibition due to soreness in his Achilles. Parker missed virtually the entire second half of last season due to that injury, which required offseason surgery.

The lateness of those changes forced Georgia to mix and match rotation combinations for much of the first several games.

 
 

Ogbeide Back, Making Big Strides

Following the aforementioned injury-induced detour, Derek Ogbeide (pronounced “Ohwg-Bay-Day”) has shown progressed steadily during the season.

Ogbeide enjoyed an impressive unofficial debut in a Nov. 6 exhibition win over Armstrong State with a game-high 10 rebounds in 19 minutes of action. He then suffered a right shoulder injury in practice and missed Georgia’s first five games.

Ogbeide finally made his official premiere against Kansas State, checking at the 17:27 mark of the first half versus the Wildcats and playing two minutes in the contest.

“He was just cleared today a little before 2 o’clock,” Mark Fox said. “I just wanted to get him 45 seconds here and there just to get him to relax and so he’d been out there before.”

The day before the Kansas State contest Fox was asked about what Georgia was missing without Ogbeide.

“He would allow us to impose our size and physicality on people” Fox said.

Ogbeide now is doing just that.

Ogbeide is No. 16 among league leaders in stats for conference games only at 6.0 rpg games…despite being the only player in the top-20 averaging less than 20.0 mpg.

In fact, equating out 40-minute production makes Ogbeide the SEC’s most proficient rebounder among league leaders in conference play as outlined below.

 

Per 40 SEC Rebounding Averages

Player GP RPG MPG R/40MP

D. Ogbeide, UGA 17 6.0 16.6 14.5

C. Bowers, AU 17 9.8 28.2 13.9

B. Simmons, LSU 17 11.3 35.7 12.7

M. Carrera, SC 17 8.9 30.2 11.8

D. Jones, VU 17 7.8 27.0 11.6

 
 

Mann Breaks UGA FT Record

With his successful trip to the line at the 8:22 mark of the second half against South Carolina on Feb. 6, Charles Mann became Georgia’s most prolific free throw shooter.

Mann broke Alec Kessler’s UGA career record for free throw makes. In January, he broke Litterial Green’s career attempts mark.

Mann also ranks among the Southeastern Conference’s top-10 in FTs and FTAs as outlined below.

 

SEC Career Free Throw Attempts

Rk. FTA Player Seasons FT

1.1152Pete Maravich, LSU1968-70893

2.892Bailey Howell, MSU1957-59682

3.873BJ McKie, SC1996-99672

4. 856 Charles Mann, UGA 2013-16 590

5.848Carl Widseth, UT1953-56621

6.785Ronnie Williams, UF1982-84546

7.784Jerry Harper, Bama1954-56473

8.773Udonis Haslem, UF1999-02515

9.767Allan Houston, UT1991-93651

10.744Litterial Green, UGA1989-92548

 

SEC Career Free Throw Makes

Rk. FT Player Seasons FTA

1.893Pete Maravich, LSU1968-701152

2.682Bailey Howell, MSU1957-59892

3.672BJ McKie, SC1996-99873

4.651Allan Houston, UT1990-93767

5.621Carl Widseth, UT1953-56848

6. 590 Charles Mann, UGA 2013-16 856

7.550Kenny Walker, UK1983-88733

8. 549Alec Kessler, UGA1987-90720

9.548Litterial Green, UGA1989-92744

10.546Ronnie Williams, UF1982-84785

 
 

More PT for KPG

Kenny Paul Geno entered the 2015-16 season with a career high of 21 minutes played against Missouri late last season.

This season, Geno is averaging 20.1 minutes of action per game. The Booneville, Miss., native has matched or bettered his previous career-most MP in 12 games, including a career-best of 35 versus Chattanooga.

 
 

Mann Joins UGA Top-10 Assist List

Charles Mann moved into Georgia’s all-time top-10 assists leaders during the Bulldogs’ Jan. 23 victory over Arkansas.

Mann distributed five buckets-to-be against the Razorbacks to up his career total to 355.That tied Donald Hartry, who was a member of Georgia’s 1983 NCAA Final Four and 1984 and 1986 NIT teams, for the No. 10 slot.

Mann enters the Alabama game with 386 assists, 13 shy of the current No. 7, Pertha Robinson and 14 away from co-No. 5s Vern Fleming and Dustin Ware.
 

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