The Georgia Bulldogs already have more than double the amount of wins they had in 2021-22. Now, they’re looking for their first win over a top-five team under coach Mike White as they go to Knoxville to play the Tennessee Volunteers on Wednesday.
Georgia Bulldogs vs. Tennessee Volunteers (-16.5, 135)
For Georgia to pull off the upset, they have to break through a Tennessee team that is the top rated defense in the nation in points allowed on a per-possession basis, allowing 68 points or fewer in 17 of their 19 games this season.
Though Georgia enters Wednesday’s game having scored at least 71 points in eight of their last 10 games, they rank 159th in the country in points scored on a per-possession basis. Also, Georgia is not playing at an extreme pace, ranking 166th in the country in possessions per game.
Both teams in this showdown excel at guarding the perimeter, with Tennessee No. 1 in the country in opponent 3-point shooting percentage. In home games, the Volunteers have only allowed opposing teams to make 19.9% of their 3-point shots. Georgia is allowing opponents to shoot just 28.8% from 3-point range in road and neutral court games, ranking 13th in the nation in opponent 3-point shooting percentage.
Clean possessions will also be hard to come by on Thursday, with Tennessee seventh in the country in percentage of opponent’s offensive plays that end in a turnover. They also clean up the glass, ranking seventh in total rebound rate.
On offense the Volunteers have issues taking care of the ball, with 19.4% of possessions ending in a turnover, which ranks 268th. Georgia has a similar turnover rate, ranking 265th in this category.
Tennessee has been creating havoc for opposing offenses all season, and with both teams both preventing 3-pointers, Wednesday’s showcase in Knoxville will be dominated by defense.
The Play: Georgia vs. Tennessee Under 135
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