Georgia basketball has a chance to make history.
If Georgia (11-1) beats South Carolina State on Sunday, it will be the first time the program has started 12-1 since the 1930-31 season, when Herman Stegeman — for whom the Bulldogs’ home venue is named — was coach and led the program to a 24-1 start.
Led by third-year coach Mike White, the Bulldogs are projected as a No. 8 seed for the NCAA tournament, according to BracketMatrix.com.
“Since I’ve been here at Georgia, it’s always about growth and the process. We’re worried about the next game,” freshman Somto Cyril said after the Bulldogs beat Buffalo earlier this month. “Today we play today, the game is over. We’re focused on the next game. What’s in the future is going to take care of itself.”
Georgia last made the NCAA tournament in 2015. The Bulldogs have not won in the tournament since 1996 (a 2002 victory was vacated). Georgia last started 11-1 in the 2001-02 season. Much of that campaign was later vacated because of NCAA rules violations.
The Bulldogs already have added to the record books this season. In their season opener, Asa Newell tied Dominique Wilkins’ 45-year-old record for most points by a freshman in their debut (26).
“It’s pretty cool just to be the same sentence as Dominique Wilkins, right? Pretty cool,” White said.
In the next game, Georgia earned the largest margin of victory in the Mike White era.
Georgia has won 27 consecutive nonconference games at home, making White’s career unblemished in that category. After the Bulldogs wrap up nonconference play Sunday, they open SEC play at No. 16 Ole Miss on Jan. 4.
Georgia faces six more ranked conference opponents in January, including No. 10 Kentucky (Jan. 7, home), No. 12 Oklahoma (Jan. 11, home), No. 1 Tennessee (Jan. 15, away), No. 2 Auburn (Jan. 18, home), No. 23 Arkansas (Jan. 22, away) and No. 6 Florida (Jan. 25, away).
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