Hoop Hounds Enter Conference Play Versus #3 Tennessee

Tom Crean’s Georgia Bulldogs (8-4, 0-0 SEC) are set to open conference play this afternoon with a stout test, tipping it off at 3:30 eastern against #3 Tennessee in Knoxville (SEC Network).

The Red and Black enter the weekend off a solid 91-72 victory over UMass, in which Nic Claxton once again stood out, putting home 20 points and nabbing 11 rebounds. Since losing a come-from-ahead heart breaker to #20 Arizona State the ‘Dawgs have won three in a row, including their now-annual reminder to Georgia Tech fans that waiting until basketball season isn’t the best strategy.

6’7 junior forward Grant Williams leads the Vols in scoring at 20.1 points per game. He’s far from the only threat, however, as Rick Barnes’ team features five players averaging in double figures.

Things don’t get much easier from here for the ‘Dawgs. After hosting Vanderbilt on Wednesday, Georgia travels to the Plains to face #12 Auburn, then returns home for a contest with #13 Kentucky. A 2-2 start to conference play would frankly be a very solid result for a UGA team that’s still looking to find some consistency.

This will also be the open thread for those intrepid souls spending their afternoon catching SEC Basketball Fever (tm).

Go ‘Dawgs!!!