Georgia takes the floor during the Bulldogs’ basketball game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Stegeman Coliseum on Saturday, January 23,2016 in Athens Georgia (Photo by John Kelley)
Game Information:
[su_spacer size=”40″]Georgia (11-7, 4-4 SEC) vs. No. 17/18 Baylor (16-4, 6-2)
[su_spacer size=”20″]Saturday, January 30 at 6:00 p.m. ET
[su_spacer size=”20″]Ferrell Center (10,284) in Waco, Texas
[su_spacer size=”20″]TV: ESPN2 (Bob Wischusen, PBP; Paul Biancardi, Color)
[su_spacer size=”20″]Radio: Georgia Bulldog Network by IMG (Scott Howard, PBP; Chuck Dowdle, Color; Tony Schiavone, Producer) Flagship: AM 750
[su_spacer size=”20″]
[su_spacer size=”20″]
Game Notes
[su_spacer size=”40″]The Starting Five
[su_spacer size=”40″] 1. UGA and BU have never met before this year’s Big 12/SEC Challenge. UGA is 12-12 all-time against current Big 12 schools.2. UGA is No. 2 in the SEC and No. 11 in nationally in FG pct. defense (.381) and has held 16 of 18 opponents under their season percentage.
3. UGA is the only Division I team – there are 351 of them, by the way – that has played only one team with an RPI higher than 200.
4. In stats for SEC games only, J.J. Frazier is ranked among the top-10 in nine of 11 major categories – 1st in steals, 4th in FG pct., 5th in 3FG pct., 6th in asts.-to-TOs, 7th in FT pct., 8th in both scoring and 3FGs per game, 9th in minutes and 10th in assists.
5. Charles Mann, who became UGA’s career leader in free throw attempts earlier this season, is eight free throw makes from also tying the UGA career record for success at the line.
[su_spacer size=”20″]
[su_spacer size=”20″]
Bulldogs Break From SEC Play To Face Bears In Big 12/SEC Challenge
[su_spacer size=”40″] The Georgia Bulldogs and the Baylor Bears will step away from conference play on Saturday evening to face off in the Big 12/SEC Challenge at the Ferrell Center in Waco. The contest will tip at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN 2.[su_spacer size=”40″] Ten of the SEC’s 14 schools will be matched up with a Big 12 foe on Saturday, with the two leagues taking over a large portion of the programming on the ESPN family of networks for about 10 hours starting at noon.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia and Baylor both earned bids to the 2015 NCAA Tournament, one of three matchups – along with Kentucky at Kansas and Oklahoma at LSU – that features two “March Madness” squads from last spring.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia slipped to 11-7 overall and 4-4 in the SEC with Tuesday night’s 89-85 loss at LSU. The Bulldogs provided a great deal of late-game drama. UGA rallied from 11 points down with 50 seconds remaining to pull within 87-85 with possession and 13 seconds left before missing a potential game-tying shot.
[su_spacer size=”40″] J.J. Frazier inched ahead of Yante Maten as Georgia’s leading scorer during the contest. Frazier’s back-to-back 26-point outings against Arkansas and LSU pushed his season average to 16.3 ppg. He also leads the Bulldogs in assists (4.0 apg) and steals (1.5 spg).
[su_spacer size=”40″] All told, four Bulldogs are averaging double digits. Maten is contributing 15.6 ppg and a team-high 7.7 rpg, while seniors Kenny Gaines and Charles Mann are chipping in 14.2 ppg and 10.4 ppg, respectively.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Baylor, which is ranked No. 17 in this week’s AP poll and No. 18 in the current USA Today coaches ledger, is 16-4 overall and 6-2 in Big 12 action. The Bears won at Oklahoma State on Wednesday evening in their most recent outing.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Baylor also features a quartet of double-digit scorers, paced by Taurean Prince at 15.1 ppg. Rico Gathers is the only player in the Big 12 averaging a double-double at 12.5 ppg and 10.6 rpg. Al Freeman adds 12.2 ppg, and Johnathan Motley comes off the bench to score 11.0 ppg.
[su_spacer size=”20″]
[su_spacer size=”20″]
Keeping An Eye On…Entering Today’s Game:
[su_spacer size=”20″]Among UGA’s career Leaders
[su_spacer size=”20″] Charles Mann:
[su_spacer size=”20″] • 4 points from No. 23 Jacky Dorsey
• 10 points from No. 22 Jimmy Pitts
• 23 points from No. 21 Lavon Mercer
• 7 FTs from No. 2 Litterial Green
• 8 FTs from No. 1 Alec Kessler
• 20 assists from No. 9 Ray Harrison
[su_spacer size=”20″]
[su_spacer size=”20″] Kenny Gaines:
[su_spacer size=”20″] • 42 points from No. 26 Jerry Waller
• 10 3FGs from No. 7 Bernard Davis
• 39 3FGAs from No. 6 G.G. Smith
[su_spacer size=”20″]
[su_spacer size=”20″] J.J. Frazier:
[su_spacer size=”20″] • 4 3FGs from No. 15 Sundiata Gaines
• 35 3FGAs from No. 16 Michael Chadwick
[su_spacer size=”20″]
[su_spacer size=”20″]
Series History With BU, Big 12
[su_spacer size=”40″] The Big 12/SEC Challenge will provide the first-ever meeting between Georgia and Baylor on the hardwood.[su_spacer size=”40″] The Bulldogs are a combined 12-12 all-time against the schools that currently comprise the Big 12 Conference.
[su_spacer size=”40″] In Georgia’s most recent date with a Big 12 foe, the Bulldogs dropped a 68-66 decision to Kansas State in Athens earlier this season on Dec. 4.
[su_spacer size=”40″] The Wildcats rallied from a 12-point first-half deficit to force a back-and-forth second stanza featuring seven ties and 11 lead changes. Dean Wade knocked down a jumper with 4.1 seconds left to put Kansas State up 68-66 before J.J. Frazier’s potential game-winning 3-pointer drew iron but was just off the mark.
[su_spacer size=”20″]
[su_spacer size=”20″]
Last Time Out
[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia’s last-minute comeback attempt against LSU came up short as the Bulldogs fell to the Tigers, 89-85, Tuesday night at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia was led offensively by J.J. Frazier with 26 points followed by seniors Charles Mann and Kenny Gaines with 20 and 19 points, respectively.
[su_spacer size=”40″] “I was proud of our kids competitive spirit in the face of adversity,” Mark Fox said. “I was proud of our players, and I am proud to be their coach. To deal with all that and to have a chance to win says a lot. We don’t believe in moral victories, but I was proud of how these kids represented Georgia and how we fought.”
[su_spacer size=”40″] The Tigers led much of the first half with their largest margin at 18-9. Georgia chipped away and eventually had a chance to tie at the half, but Frazier’s 3-pointer at the buzzer was off the mark to leave LSU ahead 33-30.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia tied the game at 39-39 after Yante Maten scored an and-one at the 16:49 mark. The Tigers responded with an 8-0 run of their own to take a 47-39 lead.
[su_spacer size=”40″] The Bulldogs trailed by 11 points with 50 seconds remaining when things heated up. Frazier started the rally with a layup and – after an LSU free throw – hit a 3-pointer. Mann stole the ensuing inbounds pass and scored to cut the margin to 83-78.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Another LSU free throw was followed by a pair of free throws by Mann to make it a four-point game. The Tigers missed two free throws with 28 seconds left before another Frazier 3-pointer cut the gap to 84-83 with 23 ticks remaining.
[su_spacer size=”40″] LSU converted two free throws, but Frazier matched those points with a layup at the 16-second mark. Keith Hornsby then made one of two free throws, giving Georgia the ball down two with 13 seconds left.
[su_spacer size=”40″] E’Torrion Wilridge’s potential game-tying jumper rimmed out with four seconds remaining before LSU hit two free throws.
[su_spacer size=”20″]
[su_spacer size=”20″]
Dogs’ “D” Has Been Consistent
[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia currently ranks No. 11 nationally in field goal defense, with opponents shooting just 38.1 percent. The Bulldogs have held 16 of 18 opponents – and all 10 non-conference foes – under their season FG percentage.[su_spacer size=”40″] 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 against the Bulldogs. Subtract out those totals and UGA’s opposition made 45.8 percent (3203-of-6990) of their field goals attempted.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia also has held six of its eight SEC foes under their season FG percentage.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Florida became the first team to shoot a better percentage against the Bulldogs than otherwise. The Gators entered the SEC opener shooting 42.2 percent but hit 42.3 – yes, .1 of one percent better – versus Georgia.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Texas A&M became the first team to make half its FG attempts against the Bulldogs, shooting 52.7 percent on Jan. 16.
[su_spacer size=”20″]
[su_spacer size=”20″]
J.J. Almost Everywhere In SEC Stats
[su_spacer size=”40″] In statistics for SEC games only, junior J.J. Frazier is ranked among the league’s top-10 leaders in nine of 11 major categories.[su_spacer size=”40″] The 5-10, junior from Glennville, Ga., is currently No. 1 in steals (2.0 spg), No. 4 in field goal percentage (.495), No. 5 in 3-point percentage (.457), No. 6 in assist-to-TOs (2.5 ratio), No. 7 in free throw percentage (.828), No. 8 in both scoring (17.4 ppg) and 3-pointers (2.6 3FGpg), No. 9 in minutes (33.1 mpg) and No. 10 in assists (4.0 apg).
[su_spacer size=”40″] The only two categories where Frazier is not listed are rebounds and blocks.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Trailing Frazier, Stefan Moody of Ole Miss is ranked in seven stats, while Tyler Ulis of Kentucky is included in six.
[su_spacer size=”20″]
[su_spacer size=”20″]
Gaines, Mann Rewriting Records
[su_spacer size=”40″] Kenny Gaines and Charles Mann are consistently making moves on UGA’s career scoring leaders ledger.[su_spacer size=”40″] Mann entered the season at No. 36 among the Bulldogs’ all-time points leaders and has ascended to No. 24. He is now just four points away from No. 23 Jacky Dorsey and 10 shy of No. 22 Jimmy Pitts.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Gaines became Georgia’s 46th 1,000-point career scorer against Clemson on Dec. 22. He is now up to the No. 27, 38 points from No. 26 Jerry Waller.
[su_spacer size=”20″]
[su_spacer size=”20″]
Fox Ties To Big 12 Territory
[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia head coach Mark Fox is a native of Garden City, Kansas. He grew up in the heart of the Big 12 Conference, which was actually the Big Eight at that time.[su_spacer size=”40″] Fox earned his master’s degree in Athletic Administration/Sports Psychology from Kansas and served as an assistant coach at Kansas State from 1994-2000.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Fox then spent nine seasons at Nevada, the first four as associate head coach and the final five as head coach.
[su_spacer size=”40″] During his stint as the Wolf Pack’s head coach, Fox was 2-1 against the Big 12, defeating Texas and posting a 1-1 record against Kansas. Fox is one of only nine coaches to win at Allen Field House during Bill Self’s 12-season tenure.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Fox is 1-1 against Big 12 institutions during his seven seasons in Athens, with the road team winning both ends of a home-and-home series with Kansas State contested last and this seasons.
[su_spacer size=”20″]
[su_spacer size=”20″]
A Positive Breakout
[su_spacer size=”40″] 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.[su_spacer size=”40″] Most expected Maten to up his contributions following the departure of seniors frontcourt mates Nemanja Djurisic and Marcus Thornton. He’s done more than just that.
[su_spacer size=”40″] A year ago, Maten averaged 5.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 18.2 minutes per game.
[su_spacer size=”40″] This season, Maten has more than tripled his scoring (15.6 ppg) and also has upped both his rebounding (7.7 rpg) and playing time (29.8 mpg) by massive chunks.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Maten posted four career-high scoring outputs in the Bulldogs’ first seven games this season, improving from 13 points entering the year to 17 points versus Chattanooga in the opener to 21 points to back-to-back outings against Seton Hall and Oakland and 24 points versus Winthrop.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Maten’s increased production can actually be traced back to last year’s postseason. He notched his first career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds against South Carolina in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tourney.
[su_spacer size=”40″] That opened an active 21-game stretch in which Maten has recorded 15 of his 19 double-digit scoring outputs, as well as all six of his career double-figure rebounding efforts and all five of his double-doubles.
[su_spacer size=”20″]
[su_spacer size=”20″]
Mann Joins UGA Top-10 Assist List
[su_spacer size=”40″] Charles Mann moved into Georgia’s all-time top-10 assists leaders during the Bulldogs’ Jan. 23 victory over Arkansas.[su_spacer size=”40″] Mann distributed five buckets-to-be against the Razorbacks to up his career total to 355.
[su_spacer size=”40″] 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 on UGA’s top-10 list.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Mann inched past Hartry with a pair of assists at LSU and is now 20 away from No. 9 Ray Harrison.
[su_spacer size=”20″]
[su_spacer size=”20″]
Bulldogs Finding Their Stride
[su_spacer size=”40″] After a relatively injury-free preseason, the Bulldogs were bitten hard in the week of the season opener.[su_spacer size=”40″] 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.
[su_spacer size=”40″] In addition, Juwan Parker, who started the first 18 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.
[su_spacer size=”40″] The lateness of those changes forced Georgia, which appeared close to setting its regular rotation, to mix and match combinations for much of the first several games.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Following the Kansas State loss on Dec. 4, Georgia was 3-3.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Since then, the Bulldogs have compiled an 8-4 record. That stretch includes decisive victories over a pair of ACC foes – Georgia Tech (75-61) and Clemson (71-48) – as well as another double-digit win over Robert Morris, a 2015 NCAA Tournament participant with four returning starters.
[su_spacer size=”20″]
[su_spacer size=”20″]
Ogbeide Back, Making Big Strides
[su_spacer size=”40″] Following the aforementioned injury-induced detour, freshman Derek Ogbeide has shown signs of becoming an inside presence for the Bulldogs.[su_spacer size=”40″] 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.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Ogbeide suffered a right shoulder injury in practice thereafter and missed Georgia’s first five games of the season.
[su_spacer size=”40″] He 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.
[su_spacer size=”40″] “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.”
[su_spacer size=”40″] The day before the Kansas State contest Fox was asked about what Georgia was missing without Ogbeide.
[su_spacer size=”40″] “He would allow us to impose our size and physicality on people” Fox said.
[su_spacer size=”40″] The Pebblebrook High School product now is helping Georgia doing just that.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Ogbeide played a combined five minutes against Kansas State and Winthrop before UGA’s 11-day break for Final Exams. In the 11 games since, Ogbeide is averaging 4.2 points and 5.4 rebounds in 14.1 minutes.
[su_spacer size=”40″] His impact has been even more dramatic in SEC play. Ogbeide, who earned his first career start against Tennessee and also got the nod against Texas A&M and LSU, is averaging 4.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg and 15.0 mpg.
[su_spacer size=”40″] In fact, equating out 40-minute production makes Ogbeide the SEC’s most proficient rebounder among league leaders in conference play as outlined below.
[su_spacer size=”20″]
[su_spacer size=”20″]
Per 40 SEC Rebounding Averages
[su_spacer size=”40″]Player GP RPG MPG R/40MP
[su_spacer size=”0″]D. Ogbeide, UGA 8 5.5 15.0 14.7
B. Simmons, LSU 8 12.1 34.2 14.2
M. Lee, UK 8 5.5 17.0 12.9
M. Carrera, SC 7 8.9 27.9 12.8
D. Jones, VU 8 7.4 25.4 11.7
[su_spacer size=”20″]
Bulldogs In The BPI & RPI
[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia is currently No. 54 in the ESPN’s Basketball Power Index (BPI) and No. 75 in the NCAA’s Ratings Percentage Index (RPI).[su_spacer size=”40″] The Bulldogs’ strength of schedule, which was ranked as the nation’s toughest in both ledgers for a good bit of December, is now at No. 9 in the BPI and No. 24 in the RPI.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia is the only two team in the nation that has played only one opponent with an RPI higher than 200 this season.
[su_spacer size=”20″]
[su_spacer size=”20″]
UGA’s All-SEC Tandem
[su_spacer size=”40″] Kenny Gaines and Charles Mann were both named preseason first-team All-SEC in voting of league coaches, becoming just the second duo of Bulldogs to earn first-team preseason honors since the recognition began prior to the 2004-05 season. Travis Leslie and Trey Thompkins were first-team preseason All-SEC selections prior to the 2010-11 season.[su_spacer size=”40″] Mann became Georgia’s first-ever two-time first-team preseason All-SEC selection.
[su_spacer size=”20″]
[su_spacer size=”20″]
Has Very Strong Ties
[su_spacer size=”40″] The duo of Peach State natives Kenny Gaines, who is from Atlanta, and Charles Mann, who hails from Alpharetta, has played a significant role since they arrived on campus in 2012.[su_spacer size=”40″] Between them, Gaines and Mann have a combined 226 games played, 168 starts and 5,834 minutes played.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Much of that has been compiled together.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Gaines and Mann have started together for 74 of Georgia’s 84 contests since the beginning of the their sophomore year of 2013-14. All told, they have played 1,824 minutes and 39 seconds together at Georgia.
[su_spacer size=”20″]
[su_spacer size=”20″]
UGA In Midst Of Most SEC Success
[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia entered Southeastern Conference competition looking to extend its most successful two- and three-year stretches in league play ever.[su_spacer size=”40″] 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.
[su_spacer size=”40″] The Bulldogs’ 32 wins over the past three seasons and 23 during the past two campaign represent UGA’s most ever.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia is one of only two teams to secure a top-4 seed to each of the past two SEC Tournaments, along with Kentucky. The Bulldogs and Wildcats also are the only two teams to reach the semifinals of both the 2014 and 2015 SEC Tourneys.
[su_spacer size=”20″]
[su_spacer size=”20″]
Mann’s Versatility Not Just Hype
[su_spacer size=”40″] It’s not uncommon to hear a comment like “Ya know, he could play all five positions.”[su_spacer size=”40″] Charles Mann proved that isn’t idle hyperbole when discussing his game, largely due to the aforementioned rotation shuffling early in the season following injuries to Derek Ogbeide and Juwan Parker.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Mann, one of two Bulldogs along with Yante Maten to start every game this season, got the nod at four different positions during Georgia’s first eight outings.
[su_spacer size=”40″] He started at his natural ‘1’ slot in five games but also did so at the ‘2’ versus Winthrop, at the ‘3’ against Georgia Tech and at the ‘5’ – yes the ‘5’ – against Chattanooga.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Against High Point, Mann saw action at all five spots. Perhaps most impressive was his defensive effort in several matchups with John Brown, the nation’s No. 4 active scorer.
[su_spacer size=”40″] “He’s been so unselfish and willing to do that and has not complained one time,” Mark Fox said.
[su_spacer size=”20″]
[su_spacer size=”20″]
More PT for KPG
[su_spacer size=”40″] Kenny Paul Geno entered the 2015-16 season with a career high of 21 minutes played against Missouri late last season.[su_spacer size=”40″] This season, Geno is averaging 21.3 minutes of action per game. The Booneville, Miss., native has matched or bettered his previous career-most MP in nine games during 2015-16, including a new career-best of 35 versus Chattanooga.
[su_spacer size=”20″]
[su_spacer size=”20″]
Tigers Make Record Trips To Line
[su_spacer size=”40″] LSU’s 55 free throw attempts against the Bulldogs represented the most-ever by a Georgia opponent in 111 seasons and 2,586 games played in program history.[su_spacer size=”40″] Tim Quarterman made 19 trips to the charity stripe, and Ben Simmons ventured there on 17 occasions. Those efforts equaled the sixth- and eighth-most ever by opposing players against the Bulldogs.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia was whistled for 33 fouls in Baton Rouge, tying the third-most in school history.
[su_spacer size=”20″]
[su_spacer size=”20″]
Follow the Georgia Men’s Basketball team on Twitter at: @UGABasketball
[su_spacer size=”20″][su_spacer size=”20″]
MORE GAME NOTES:
[su_spacer size=”20″] [su_spacer size=”20″][su_spacer size=”40″] [su_spacer size=”40″]