SEC Basketball Preview/Prediction: Alabama at Georgia

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Alabama visits Georgia on Saturday in a key SEC basketball matchup. Look inside for a preview of the game along with a prediction of the game’s final score.

By 14Powers Hoops

Team Statistical Comparison

	FG%	3PT%	FT%	ORB	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TO
Alabama	0.441	0.349	0.710	245	893	304	141	105	347
Alabama OPP	0.406	0.296	0.739	275	869	247	191	89	305
Georgia	0.449	0.307	0.685	268	844	303	169	76	326
Georgia OPP	0.446	0.327	0.646	254	796	280	137	80	307

Statistical Leaders

Alabama Scoring Leaders

PLAYER	TEAM	PPG	FGM	FTM	3PTM
PLAYER	TEAM	PPG	FGM	FTM	3PTM
Kira Lewis Jr.	Alabama	16.5	134	65	31
John Petty Jr.	Alabama	15.0	107	50	67
Jaden Shackelford	Alabama	13.4	91	61	51
Herbert Jones	Alabama	9.9	66	55	1
Alex Reese	Alabama	9.8	74	28	40
James Bolden	Alabama	7.8	44	34	26
Javian Davis	Alabama	6.2	47	42	0
Jaylen Forbes	Alabama	2.7	18	12	9
Galin Smith	Alabama	2.6	24	10	0

Alabama Rebounding Leaders

PLAYER	TEAM	OR	DR	TR	RPG
PLAYER	TEAM	OR	DR	TR	RPG
John Petty Jr.	Alabama	34	128	162	7.4
Herbert Jones	Alabama	36	84	120	6.3
Kira Lewis Jr.	Alabama	22	93	115	5.2
Alex Reese	Alabama	21	81	102	4.6
Jaden Shackelford	Alabama	21	73	94	4.3
Javian Davis	Alabama	30	54	84	3.8
Galin Smith	Alabama	25	30	55	2.5
Jaylen Forbes	Alabama	16	38	54	2.6
James Bolden	Alabama	12	20	32	1.7
Tyler Barnes	Alabama	0	4	4	0.7
Adam Cottrell	Alabama	0	1	1	0.3

Georgia Scoring Leaders

PLAYER	TEAM	PPG	FGM	FTM	3PTM
PLAYER	TEAM	PPG	FGM	FTM	3PTM
Anthony Edwards	Georgia	19.9	148	87	55
Rayshaun Hammonds	Georgia	12.4	104	40	24
Sahvir Wheeler	Georgia	8.0	64	34	7
Tyree Crump	Georgia	6.9	50	17	35
Toumani Camara	Georgia	6.2	55	23	3
Donnell Gresham Jr.	Georgia	6.0	42	35	12
Tye Fagan	Georgia	3.9	35	13	3
Christian Brown	Georgia	3.8	27	24	6
Rodney Howard	Georgia	1.3	10	5	0

Georgia Rebounding Leaders

PLAYER	TEAM	OR	DR	TR	RPG
PLAYER	TEAM	OR	DR	TR	RPG
Rayshaun Hammonds	Georgia	49	116	165	7.5
Anthony Edwards	Georgia	15	100	115	5.2
Donnell Gresham Jr.	Georgia	35	69	104	4.7
Toumani Camara	Georgia	34	58	92	4.2
Tyree Crump	Georgia	8	44	52	2.4
Sahvir Wheeler	Georgia	11	40	51	2.4
Jordan Harris	Georgia	17	28	45	3.5
Christian Brown	Georgia	14	28	42	1.9
Tye Fagan	Georgia	15	20	35	1.6
Rodney Howard	Georgia	12	13	25	1.3
Mike Peake	Georgia	10	14	24	1.7
Amanze Ngumezi	Georgia	5	12	17	2.4
Stan Turnier	Georgia	1	2	3	0.4
Jaykwon Walton	Georgia	0	3	3	0.4
Jaxon Etter	Georgia	0	1	1	0.1

NCAA RPI

Alabama: 44

Georgia: 90

Alabama Roster

No.	Name	Pos.	HT	WT	Class	City-State
0	Javian Davis	F	6′-9″	242	FR	Canton, MS
1	Herbert Jones	F	6′-7″	205	JR	Greensboro, AL
2	Kira Lewis Jr.	G	6′-3″	165	SO	Meridianville, AL
3	Alex Reese	F	6′-9″	245	JR	Pelham, AL
4	Juwan Gary	F	6′-5″	215	FR	Columbia, SC
5	Jaden Shackelford	G	6′-3″	195	FR	Hesperia, CA
11	James Bolden	G	6′-0″	160	SR	Covington, KY
12	Jaylen Forbes	G	6′-4″	186	FR	Florence, MS
13	Jahvon Quinerly	G	6′-1″	175	SO	Hackensack, NJ
15	Tyler Barnes	F	6′-8″	201	JR	Louisville, KY
21	Britton Johnson	G	6′-4″	183	SO	Mountain Brook, AL
23	John Petty Jr.	G	6′-5″	184	JR	Huntsville, AL
25	Adam Cottrell	G	6′-3″	185	FR	Flowery Branch, GA
30	Galin Smith	F	6′-9″	240	JR	Clinton, MS
33	James Rojas	F	6′-8″	215	JR	Jamestown, NY
34	Sam Okauru	G	6′-5″	200	FR	Raleigh, NC
35	Raymond Hawkins	F	6′-9″	240	FR	Oakland, CA

Georgia Roster

No.	Name	Pos.	HT	WT	Class	City-State
0	Donnell Gresham Jr.	G	6′-3″	195	SR	Saint Paul, MN
1	Jaykwon Walton	F	6′-7″	205	FR	Columbus, GA
2	Jordan Harris	G	6′-5″	195	SR	Iron City, GA
3	Christian Brown	F	6′-6″	215	FR	Hopkins, SC
4	Tyree Crump	G	6′-1″	185	SR	Bainbridge, GA
5	Anthony Edwards	G	6′-5″	225	FR	Atlanta, GA
10	Toumani Camara	F	6′-8″	220	FR	Hollywood, FL
11	Jaxon Etter	G	6′-4″	205	FR	Woodstock, GA
14	Tye Fagan	G	6′-3″	185	SO	Logtown, GA
15	Sahvir Wheeler	G	5′-10″	180	FR	Houston, TX
20	Rayshaun Hammonds	F	6′-9″	235	JR	Norcross, GA
24	Rodney Howard	F	6′-11″	245	FR	Ypsilanti, MI
25	Amanze Ngumezi	F	6′-9″	235	SO	Savannah, GA
30	Mike Peake	F	6′-8″	220	FR	Chicago, IL
32	Stan Turnier	G	6′-4″	185	FR	Louisville, KY

Scouting Report

Alabama (12-10, 4-5 SEC) fell to Tennessee 69-68 on Tuesday in Tuscaloosa. This was a battle between the SEC’s top defense and offense. In the first half the Crimson Tide built a 15-point lead with 2:06 remaining in the half. Alabama led at halftime 40-32. Tennessee took its first lead at 54-53 since early minutes of the game on a Jordan Bowden free throw with 8:22 to play. The Vols then stayed top to earn a big road win.

Kira Lewis Jr. leads the Tide in scoring averaging 16.5 points per game. Petty, Jr. is not far behind Lewis at 15.0 points a contest. Petty leads the Tide in rebounding pulling down over 7 a game. Bama is No. 1 in the SEC in scoring offense (81.6 ppg). The Crimson Tide is dead last in scoring defense, however, allowing 77.1 points a contest. The Tide is also No. 1 in the SEC in 3-point shooting hitting 34.9%. Bama has made for 3-point shots than any other team in the SEC with 226.

Georgia (12-10, 2-7 SEC) defeated Florida 81-75 on Wednesday night in Gainesville. Georgia led most of the first half taking a 41-26 lead to halftime. In the second half the Bulldogs extended their lead to 52-30 with 16:41 to play. Florida then began to cut into that UGA lead. By the 12:27 mark the lead was down to eight at 55-47 on a Keyontae Johnson 3-point shot. Florida, with 9:18 to play, cut the Bulldog lead to just one point at 57-56 on a Tre Mann layup. Just 36 seconds later the Gators took a 59-57 lead on an Andrew Nembhard 3-point shot. The Gators would never trail again. Nembhard led the Gators with 25 points. Anthony Edwards paced the Bulldogs with 32 points.

Edwards (19.9 ppg) leads Georgia in scoring. He’s also the top 3-point shooting threat with 55 made threes. Forward Rayshaun Hammonds (12.4 ppg) is the only other double digit scorer for the Bulldogs. Georgia has a solid offense and is fourth in the SEC in scoring offense (75.7 ppg). The Bulldogs are fifth in the conference in field goal percentage (44.9%). Georgia is 12th in the SEC in scoring defense (73.8 ppg). Georgia also struggles in field goal defense (13th, 44.6%) and 3-point defense (12th, 32.7%). Two more superlatives, Georgia is fifth in the SEC in assists (13.8 apg) and tied for second in steals (7.7 spg).

This should be a tight game. Both these teams can put up the points. Alabama more so though but can they score enough in Athens to escape with a win? A little defense by Alabama could go a long way towards winning this game.

Alabama-Georgia Prediction

Alabama 79, Georgia 76

Saturday‘s game tips off at 6:00 p.m. ET. TV: SEC Network.