Georgia will make its first NCAA Tournament appearance in a decade when the Bulldogs battle eighth-seeded Gonzaga on Thursday in the first round.
The teams will square off Thursday for the first time this season. Gonzaga is 16-4 against the WCC, and Georgia is 8-11 against the SEC.
Georgia is 20-12, reaching the 20-win mark during the regular season for just the sixth time in 119 seasons (along with 1931, 1986, 1997, 2011 and 2015). Georgia also secured its second-straight 20-win effort, marking the fifth back-to-back 20-victory campaigns ever for UGA.
The Bulldogs played one of the nation's most challenging schedules. Just shy of 60 percent of Georgia's 32 games to date – 19 of 32 = 59.4 percent – were against NCAA Tournament teams. The Bulldogs played eight outings versus top-10 opponents, the most of any school in the country during the regular season, with five being on the road.
NEED TO KNOW
Georgia Bulldogs (20-12, 8-11 SEC) vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs (25-8, 16-4 WCC)
Wichita, Kansas; Thursday, 4:35 p.m. EDT
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Bulldogs -6.5; over/under is 150.5
BOTTOM LINE: No. 24 Gonzaga plays in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament against Georgia.
The Gonzaga Bulldogs' record in WCC play is 16-4, and their record is 9-4 in non-conference games. Gonzaga leads the WCC with 25.6 defensive rebounds per game, led by Graham Ike, averaging 5.4.
The Georgia Bulldogs are 8-11 against SEC teams. Georgia is 1-3 in games, which is decided by 3 points or fewer.
Gonzaga's average of 7.3 made 3-pointers per game this season is just 0.1 fewer made shots on average than the 7.4 per game Georgia gives up. Georgia averages 7.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.4 fewer makes per game than Gonzaga allows.
TOP PERFORMERS: Ike is scoring 17.1 points per game and averaging 7.5 rebounds for the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Khalif Battle is averaging 15.3 points and 3.8 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Silas Demary Jr. is averaging 13.4 points, 3.1 assists and 1.7 steals for the Georgia Bulldogs. Asa Newell is averaging 15.4 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Gonzaga Bulldogs: 9-1, averaging 83.0 points, 33.5 rebounds, 19.4 assists, 7.5 steals and 2.8 blocks per game while shooting 49.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 66.1 points per game.
Georgia Bulldogs: 5-5, averaging 75.1 points, 31.2 rebounds, 11.9 assists, 6.6 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 73.9 points.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
