Springtime is approaching the Classic City, which means different things for the Hoop and Diamond Dawgs. For Coach Mike White, the season must come with extra focus and determination to win the big games down the stretch ahead of postseason play. For Coach Wes Johnson, it’s the beginning of a new era, and the fresh start of a season. Here’s a look into the state of these teams. 

HOOP DAWGS

Coach White’s Bulldogs currently sit at 15-12 overall and 5-9 in SEC play. The last few weeks have been rough for Georgia, as they’ve lost eight of their last ten games. However, the team picked up a much needed win this past Wednesday on the road against Vanderbilt, 76-64. Here’s a few positives from the season so far and a key to success ahead of the SEC Tournament in a few weeks.

POSITIVES

Rock the Steg

The one constant to this up-and-down season in Athens has been the vibrant home crowds in Stegman Coliseum. Throughout the season, Coach White has had nothing but good things to say about the Bulldog Faithful’s presence at games, even mentioning moments where he’s never heard the Steg louder than it is. Though the team has had its struggles, it’s clear that students and fans have bought into White’s program.

Noah Thomasson

Coming into the season, it was known that the graduate guard would be a key player in the success of this team. Thomasson currently leads the team in scoring with 12.9 PPG. He has become a reliable three-point threat over the last few weeks, making five threes or more in three of the last five games. Thomasson will need to keep up the success from behind the arc if the Bulldogs want to make noise in March. 

KEY TO SUCCESS

Nothing to Lose

Though Georgia will likely need to win the SEC Tournament to make the NCAA Tournament, the Bulldogs can use the last few games of the season to boost their resume and continue to play solid SEC teams ahead of their trip to the SEC Tournament. The final four games include road matchups with LSU and Auburn, as well as home matchups with Texas A&M and Ole Miss. All four of these teams are currently ahead of the Bulldogs in the SEC standings. If Georgia puts everything on the line and somehow wins three or four of these games, there’s no telling what could happen in Nashville. 

DIAMOND DAWGS

The Wes Johnson era is officially underway, and the Bulldogs are off to a 7-0 start. There seems to be no quit in Johnson’s squad, as they’ve already had two comeback victories when trailing in the late innings. When the bats are cold or the pitchers are struggling, either side finds a way to pick up the slack and win the game. Through seven games, the team has been slugging offensively, hitting 22 home runs along with 81 RBIs. Outfielder Charlie Condon has led the offensive success for the Bulldogs so far, batting .643 with three home runs and 7 RBIs. As for the pitching staff, starter Charlie Goldstein has been a solid ace for the Bulldogs, winning the two games he’s started with a 2.00 ERA and 14 strikeouts. Here’s the highlights of the early season.

UNC Asheville

The Diamond Dawgs opened the season with a series sweep of UNC Asheville in Athens. Offense was the key, as Georgia scored 38 runs over the series and ended the last two games in run-rule victories.

Georgia State

The Bulldogs brought a victory back to Athens after a 15-0 victory against Georgia State in Atlanta. An early 7-0 lead through two innings, along with a three-hit shutout by the pitching staff allowed Georgia to take care of business against their in-state foe. 

Northern Kentucky

Georgia came back to Athens this past weekend for a three game set against Northern Kentucky. The series was highlighted by a walk off home run from Dillon Carter on Saturday and a walk off hit-by-pitch by Tre Phelps on Sunday.