South Carolina Takes on Georgia in Pivotal SEC Rematch

The Georgia Bulldogs are set to host the South Carolina Gamecocks in Athens, Georgia, Saturday. The Bulldogs come in at 14-7 and 4-4 in SEC play, while the Gamecocks are 18-3 and 6-2 in conference play.

https://twitter.com/GamecockMBB/status/1753431073122398544

Close Calls for Georgia

Georgia is on a two-game skid following narrow losses to Florida on the road and Alabama at home. The Bulldogs overcame a 21-point deficit against the Gators before losing in overtime and gave up a 16-point lead to the Crimson Tide Wednesday.

Georgia has been unable to capitalize off of strong offensive performances. Throughout January, the Bulldogs are the only SEC team with five players averaging double-digits in SEC games. Junior guard RJ Melendez led the way for Georgia during the month, averaging 13.6 points per game and shooting 43.3% from beyond the arc. However, the Bulldogs have been unable to match their offensive play with defensive intensity on the opposite side of the court. In their last two losses, they have given up 102 and 85 points to Florida and Alabama respectively, allowing both teams to shoot over 50% from the field.

RJ Melendez set a career high on Saturday with 35 points. #GoDawgs | @MelendezRamses pic.twitter.com/8uKdf9S8zR

— Georgia Basketball (@UGABasketball) January 29, 2024

Gamecocks Hot Streak

South Carolina is on a four-game win streak including two AP Top 10 wins. The Gamecocks blew out No. 6 Kentucky at home and went on the road to beat No. 5 Tennessee Tuesday.

South Carolina is 8-2 in its last 10 games, holding opponents to under 70 points in nine of those 10. Junior guard Meechie Johnson leads the team in scoring, averaging 15.1 points per game off of 40.2% shooting from the field. Johnson’s matchup against Melendez will be one to watch. On the defensive end, senior B.J. Mack leads the team on the glass averaging 5.3 rebounds a game and 0.7 blocks on the season.

Saturday’s Matchup

This is the second meeting between the two teams. In the first game, the Bulldogs pulled out the win in South Carolina 74-69 Jan. 16. As SEC play heats up, both teams look to add another crucial win to its resume.

Heading into Saturday, South Carolina is second in the SEC trailing only No. 24 Alabama, while Georgia sits in eighth.

Tip-off is at 1 p.m.