Georgia will look to bounce back again at home when they face Arkansas Tuesday night at Stegeman Coliseum.
The Bulldogs are coming off of a 79-65 setback at Auburn and have now lost three of their last four games. The skid hasn’t erased their NCAA Tournament hopes as they enter Tuesday’s game 12-6, 3-4 in SEC play and ranked 49th in RPI per ESPN.com. That is ninth in the SEC which looks like the bubble line. However, they are going to have to find a way to string together some wins soon if they hope to remain in the tournament picture.
That is what makes Saturday’s loss to the Tigers so disappointing. Georgia led by 16 in the first half and 14 at halftime. However, they came out in the second half lifeless and watched Auburn runaway thanks to a 33-4 run. What could have been a resume defining win quickly turns into another situation where they are searching for answers.
Yante Maten has maintained a high-level of play but Mark Fox and company are looking for consistency beyond him. After a hot start, Turtle Jackson has slumped offensively shooting just 24 percent during conference play. Fox shook things up a little over a week ago inserting Juwan Parker and freshman TeShaun Hightower into the starting lineup. That move helped spark a comeback win at LSU but the good feelings quickly evaporated in the second half against Auburn.
Arkansas enters Tuesday’s contest 13-6 and 3-4 in league play. The Razorbacks are 28th in RPI in the country and sixth best in the conference. They are coming off of a 97-93 win at Ole Miss but have dropped four of their last six games.
The Razorbacks have been hampered by a lackluster defense in conference play allowing opponents 82.6 per game. Arkansas does rank fourth in scoring at 76.6 and likes to dial up the pressure but have allowed too many open shots. Conference opponents are shooting 39 percent from three-point range and 47 percent overall.
Arkansas has a lot of experience in the backcourt with seniors Jaylen Barford (19.2 pts, 4.2 reb, 3.1 ast) and Daryl Macon (15.8 pts, 2.8 reb, 4.2 ast). 6-11 freshman Daniel Gafford (12.2 pts, 6.4 reb) has also provided a lift on the interior.
Georgia is 8-1 at home and Tuesday’s game is another opportunity to strengthen their credentials for an NCAA Tournament bid. Tip off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET and can be seen on the SEC Network.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Tuesday, January 23, 6:30 p.m. ET
Location: Stegeman Coliseum, Athens, Georgia
TV: SECN
Streaming: SECN+
Radio: Georgia Bulldog Sports Network. Flagship: WSB AM 750 Atlanta; Satellite: Sirius 137; XM 190