The No. 23 Georgia Bulldogs (14-3) are set to host the No. 1 Auburn Tigers (16-1) in a game that will tip off from Stegemean Coliseum on Jan. 17 at 1:00 pm. The Bulldogs are looking to bounce back after their worst loss of the season, a 56-74 rout to No.6 Tennessee. Meanwhile, the Tigers are trying to get their 10th straight win.
These teams have met nearly 200 times in their history. Auburn has won 102 of 198 total games and has taken each of the last three games. However, Georgia is 64-28 all-time against Auburn at home, and has yet to lose at home this season.
If Georgia wants to stay ranked this is a game they will have to win, however it will not be easy as Auburn as scored 84 or more points in eight of their last nine games.
Georgia’s Keys for Victory:
Capitalize on Broomi Potentially Being Out: Auburn may be down Senior Johni Broome, who was an all-american last season. Broomi is hitting career highs in points, rebounds and assists averaging 17.9, 10.7, and 3.3 respectively. He is Auburn’s leading scorer, averaging nearly five more points than the second highest scorer, Chad Baker-Marzara. He also averages nearly three of the Tigers’ 7 blocks per game. No Broomi would be huge for the Bulldogs and they will need to take full advantage of this if they hope to win the game.
Crash the Glass: Georgia who usually dominates the glass, failed to do so against Tennessee en route to an 18-point blowout loss. Georgia was a -6 on the glass and gave up 18 rebounds on the offensive glass. Georgia has dominated games by being the ones to rack up second chance points. Outrebounding Auburn will be no easy task as Georgia averages just 0.7 more rebounds per game.
Pound the Rock Inside: Georgia shot just 14 of 33 (42%) from inside the arc against Tennessee. This is a Bulldogs team that scores most of it points inside. Shooting that poorly, Georgia just stood no chance against Tennessee’s offensive onslaught when the 3’s began to fall in the second half. If Boomi does not play, Georgia (Asa Newell especially) will have to take advantage of the Tigers’ missing their best rim protector and try and score in bunches down low.
Auburn’s Keys for Victory:
Let the Three Ball Fly: Since their loss to Duke, Auburn has hit 10 or more three-pointes in five of their last nine games including two games with 13 made threes. In each of those games they have hit atlest eight three-pointers. Georgia has hit more than eight three-pointers in just eight games this season. If Auburn dominates from outside the arc they can blow this game wide-open.
Baker-Marzara Stays Hot: Chad Baker-Marzara stepped up big with no Boomi against Mississippi State. The senior guard had 20 points on 72/60/50 splits as Auburn won by 22 points. He will need to dominate again if Auburn is without their star-player in Boomi, however, it will be no easy task against this Georgia defense that held Jeremiah Fears to one of eleven shooting just six days ago.