Georgia hoping momentum from back-to-back 20-win seasons helps following a dramatic roster overhaul

Georgia hoping momentum from back-to-back 20-win seasons helps following a dramatic roster overhaul | iNFOnews.ca
FILE - Georgia guard Blue Cain, right, shoots over Gonzaga guard Khalif Battle during the second half of the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, March 20, 2025, in Wichita, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

Georgia (20-13, 8-10 SEC)

Following back-to-back 20-win seasons and Georgia’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2015, coach Mike White was given a contract extension through the 2030-31 season on Sept. 26. A second straight NCAA appearance could be challenging following a roster overhaul that included the exits of top scorer and rebounder Asa Newell, a NBA first-round pick now with the Atlanta Hawks, and point guard Silas Demary Jr., who led the team in assists and steals. Guard Blue Cain, who averaged 9.6 points, is the top returning scorer. Forward Dylan James is the only other returning player who started as many as eight games last season.

Players to watch

Somto Cyril, a 6-foot-11 sophomore who saw regular time as a backup last season, had a team-leading seven blocks in the Bulldogs’ 65-61 preseason win over Georgia State. Another sophomore, Jeremiah Wilkinson, led the team with 17 points. Cain scored 13 points.

Departures and arrivals

Freshman forward Jake Wilkins (6-9, 185) is the son of Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins, the 1981 SEC Player of the Year for Georgia. Junior guard Jordan Ross, a transfer, started 35 games and scored in double figures in 13 games as a sophomore at St. Mary’s. In addition to Newell and Demary, other notable departures include Dakota Leffew, Tyrin Lawrence and R.J. Godfrey.

Top games

The Bulldogs open on Nov. 3 with a home game against Bellarmine. State rival Georgia Tech visits Athens on Nov. 14. Georgia will play Xavier and either Clemson or West Virginia in a holiday tournament in Charleston, S.C. on Nov. 21 and 23 and will visit Florida State on Dec. 2. Georgia plays Cincinnati in Atlanta on Dec. 13 and opens its SEC schedule with a home game against Auburn on Jan. 3.

Facts and figures

White is 56-46 through three seasons at Georgia. … Jaden Newell, Asa Newell’s older brother, is a third-year sophomore. … Of Georgia’s five incoming transfers, four are guards: Ross, Wilkinson (Cal), Marcus “Smurf” Millender (UTSA) and Justin Bailey (Wofford). The other transfer is forward Kanon Catchings (BYU). … Georgia’s last NCAA Tournament win came in 2002 against Murray State. The Bulldogs advanced to the NIT semifinals in 2024. … Gonzaga overwhelmed Georgia 89-68 in the first round of last season’s NCAA Tournament.

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Georgia hoping momentum from back-to-back 20-win seasons helps following a dramatic roster overhaul | iNFOnews.ca
FILE – Georgia head coach Mike White watches his team during the first half against Gonzaga in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, March 20, 2025, in Wichita, Kan. (AP Photo/Travis Heying, File)

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