The Official #4 Tennessee vs. Georgia Game Thread, 7:00 PM ET, SEC Network

[YankeeVol]

#4 Tennessee Volunteers: 16-3 (6-1 SEC)

vs.

Georgia Bulldogs: 13-6 (3-3 SEC)

GAME 20 | TENNESSEE vs. GEORGIA - Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023 | 7:01 p.m. ET | Knoxville, Tenn. | Thompson-Boling Arena (21,678)


Line: UT -16.5
O/U: 135.5

TV: SEC Network / Watch
Radio: Vol Network / Listen / Live Stats
Satellite Radio: SiriusXM: 83 / Internet: 83
Online: WatchESPN.com

Georgia Game Notes

 

[YankeeVol]

THE SERIES

• Tennessee leads its all-time series with Georgia, 98-61, dating to 1913.
• When the series is contested in Knoxville, the Vols own a 60-15 advantage.
• The Vols have won three straight home games in this series and have triumphed in four of the last five meetings overall.
• Over UT's last three games vs. Georgia, Josiah-Jordan James has averaged 17.3 points, and Santiago Vescovi has averaged 12.3 points.
• Tennessee AD Danny White is the younger brother of Georgia head coach Mike White.
• Dating to 2017, Tennessee has won seven consecutive home games during Coaches vs. Cancer "Suits and Sneakers" Week.
• The Vols are 20-7 all-time during "Suits and Sneakers" week, including a 14-2 record at home.

 

[YankeeVol]

SCOUTING REPORT

• The Vols have held the No. 2 spot in the NCAA's NET ratings since Jan. 3.
• Tennessee ranks among the top 10 nationally in five different statistical categories.
• These Vols have won eight games by 30 or more points.
• During conference play, Tennessee leads the SEC in scoring defense (57.1 ppg), field-goal percentage (.488), 3-point percentage (.365), FT percentage (.810), rebounding defense (28.7), assists (17.4) and assist/turnover ratio (1.4).
• In its last 23 games against SEC opponents, the Vols are 21-2 with wins over every league opponent except Alabama (no meetings).
• Zakai Zeigler is averaging a league-best 7.3 assists during SEC play.
• Julian Phillips is the reigning SEC Freshman of the Week after averaging 14 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in road wins at Mississippi State and at LSU.
• UT's bench is giving the Vols 22.9 points per game.
• Tennessee ranks fifth nationally in average home attendance (17,265)—one of three SEC teams in the top five.

 

[YankeeVol]

THE NATION'S BEST DEFENSE

• For the ninth straight week, the Volunteers own the best adjusted defensive efficiency in the country per KenPom, allowing only 83.8 points per 100 possessions.
• Tennessee owns the best overall field-goal percentage defense (.342) and 3-point defense in Division I (.218).
• In 19 games, Tennessee opponents have managed to make only 92 3-pointers—just 4.8 per game.
• Nine times this season, the Vols have held their opponents to 50 points or less.
• Only three opposing players have scored 20 or more points against the Vols this season.
• Tennessee trailed at the break only three times this season and is outscoring its opponents 35.3 ppg to 25.0 ppg in first-half action (+10.3 ppg).
• It's been more than a month since the Vols allowed a team to score 70 points (Dec. 17 at Arizona; 75).

 

[YankeeVol]

ABOUT GEORGIA

• Georgia (13-6, 3-3 SEC) has dropped its last two games after winning three of its first four to open conference play. The Bulldogs were hot out of the gates against SEC competition, defeating Auburn, Mississippi State and Ole Miss in their first two weeks of conference play before falling in back-to-back games to Kentucky and Vanderbilt.
• Currently ranked No. 105 in the NET rankings, the Bulldogs are 3-3 against Quad I and Quad II competition—their "best" win standing as the home win over Auburn on Jan. 4. Georgia is 1-4 in true road games this season.
• Through just 19 games, Georgia has already more than doubled its season-long win total from last year, when the Bulldogs finished 6-16 overall and 1-17 in SEC play.
• Bulldogs' head coach Mike White is in his first season as Georgia's head coach after spending the previous seven seasons as Florida's head coach from 2015-22. With Florida, White was 2-8 against Tennessee—including an 0-6 mark in Knoxville.
• Senior guard and Bradley transfer Terry Roberts has emerged as Georgia's leader in scoring (15.9 ppg) and assists (4.2 apg). Roberts' scoring production has increased to 19.5 ppg in SEC play compared to 14.1 ppg in non-conference play.
• Junior guard Kario Oquendo, a preseason second-team All-SEC selection and Georgia's leading scorer last season, is second on the team with 13.4 ppg.
• Roberts and Oquendo were teammates during the 2020-21 season at Florida SouthWestern State College. Oquendo then transferred to Georgia for the 2021-22 season, while Roberts went to Bradley for a year before reuniting with Oquendo at UGA this season.

 

[OrngeJuiceJones]

We should be up 12

 

[BruisedOrange]

How we defend this duo of Roberts and Oquendo should be interesting to watch.
But also gotta make sure somebody underneath doesn't have a career night off of offensive put-backs.

 

[volz2wallz]

GBO!!

 

[VolunteerCeltic]

Tennessee needs to clock in and handle this GA team early. Mike White has done a good job with this team, we do not want them to steal one at TBA.

 

[CAVPUT]

Of all days and all opponents, please Vols...show up to play and have some "want to" today.

 

[NighthawkVol]

Things I'm looking for:

-Continued growth, confidence, and improvement from Phillips. This is my #1.
-Vescovi returning to form.
-Aidoo becoming a factor again on offense.
-Will Plav be back? If so, was his offense against Kentucky an aberration or will be be able to keep doing that?
-Where is Nkamhou?
-Will ZZ continue to play at a high level?

 

[PEPPERJAX]

Battle of the white brothers.

 

[TennesseeFan07]

I like Georgia to cover.

 

[walkenvol]

Things I'm looking for:

-Continued growth, confidence, and improvement from Phillips. This is my #1.
-Vescovi returning to form.
-Aidoo becoming a factor again on offense.
-Will Plav be back? If so, was his offense against Kentucky an aberration or will be be able to keep doing that?
-Where is Nkamhou?
-Will ZZ continue to play at a high level?

Also, will JJJ stay healthy and continue his strong shooting.

I think the Uros scoring is all on how the other team chooses to defend him. If they play him one on one and our guys keep the floor spaced then he has a shot to be effective. If the paint gets congested and the other team collapses when he receives the ball in the post then he’s much better passing the ball. JMO

 

[cardvolfan]

Per @YankeeVol this is interesting

 

[bleedingTNorange]

My biggest question is do we continue the upwards trajectory offensively?

In games JJJ has played our offensive efficiency numbers are…
99.8
95.4
117.4
122.7
105.6
153.2
118.9
120.1
85.7
118.5
125.9
Average: 114.8


In games JJJ has not played our offensive efficiency numbers are…
100.5
104.5
104.6
98.9
96.8
108.6
121.6
100.0
Average: 104.4


That is a massive difference, 114.8 would be #18 nationally per Barttorvik, 104.4 would be #156 nationally. Getting our offense into the Top 20-25 nationally to compliment our defense would put us right into that sweet spot of teams analytically that typically are the toughest outs in March.

 

[Willy14]

Per @YankeeVol this is interesting

Man I knew Zeigler was shorter than everyone so easier to shoot over, but opponents must be firing every trip down the floor to get 715 threes off on him

 

[cardvolfan]

My biggest question is do we continue the upwards trajectory offensively?

In games JJJ has played our offensive efficiency numbers are…
99.8
95.4
117.4
122.7
105.6
153.2
118.9
120.1
85.7
118.5
125.9
Average: 114.8


In games JJJ has not played our offensive efficiency numbers are…
100.5
104.5
104.6
98.9
96.8
108.6
121.6
100.0
Average: 104.4


That is a massive difference, 114.8 would be #18 nationally per Barttorvik, 104.4 would be #156 nationally. Getting our offense into the Top 20-25 nationally to compliment our defense would put us right into that sweet spot of teams analytically that typically are the toughest outs in March.

I think those numbers tell a crucial story: JJJ is of paramount importance going forward.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I think those numbers tell a crucial story: JJJ is of paramount importance going forward.

Absolutely, maybe not to our defense as that has stayed elite all year, but it would appear that with him our offense is among the best in the country along with our defense.

 

[VOLywood]

Huge game. Don't get caught up in the TX GameDay hype a forget to show up against UGA.

I hope we put a South Carolina and LSU type of butt whooping on them!

 

[AlwaysOrangeNeverBlue]

Battle of the white brothers.

Just when I start to think capitalization doesn't matter... Lol.

 

[Fingers]

 

[CAVPUT]

Huge game. Don't get caught up in the TX GameDay hype a forget to show up against UGA.

I hope we put a South Carolina and LSU type of butt whooping on them!

^^This^^. Just cannot afford to pull a disappearing act against these guys and drop another home game. UGA is improved. We will get their best effort. If we don't match it, we've seen that this team can be had. Got a lot on the line as we enter the home stretch. A 1 seed is right there for the taking. Of course, we were saying that about the football team and the playoffs, too. Just hope we can finally walk through the door of opportunity.

 

[BruisedOrange]

REMEMBER THE USCjr GAME!

 

[SGMVols]

I like Georgia to cover.

On paper, -16.5 feels like a lot. But Georgia has been swooning a bit lately and we have a lot of 20+ point wins on the resume. Feels like Vegas is trying to bait people into taking Georgia with that number because they sense a big UT blowout coming.