Dog's first round opponent features former local prep standout

The Georgia men&#39;s basketball team received a bid to the NCAA Tournament on Sunday. The team will play Murray State in Chicago in the first round. The No. 3-seeded Bulldogs earned an at-large bid and the chance to face Murray State on Friday. <br> <br> Murray State, which entered the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament as a No. 3 seed, knocked off No. 1-seeded Tennessee Tech 70-69 on Saturday to earn a automatic bid.<br> <br> Georgia's first round opponent has strong ties locally and to the University of Georgia. Murray State features a former local prep standout as well as they are coached by one of the winningest high school coaches in the state of Georgia and former UGA assistant Tevester Anderson.<br> <br> Anderson came to Murray State following a nine-year stint at the University of Georgia under Hugh Durham as an assistant and then associate head coach (1989). At UGA, Anderson was instrumental in attracting talent such as NBA performers Carlos Strong, Litterial Green, Elmore Spencer, Rod Anderson and Antonio Harvey to Athens, Ga. <br> <br> Murray State features former local standout Antione Whelchel. The Junior power forward is averaging 14.3 points per game over the last 3 games and is 5 of 10 from 43 point territory.<br> <br> Murray State closed the season by winning 10 of its last 11 games. Murray State got off to a 7-3 start in the pre-conference schedule but got hot in February, winning the first seven games, including a 75-56 win over previously OVC unbeaten Tennessee Tech.<br> <br>