Georgia basketball: Dawgs must answer the Big 12 challenge

The Georgia basketball resume

The Bulldogs did good work in the pre-conference building a case for the NCAA Tournament.

First, the Georgia basketball team defeated 19-2 St. Mary’s. The Gails claim a number 39 ranked RPI and defeated Gonzaga on the road this past weekend. St. Mary’s is ranked 16 in the oft cited Pomeroy rankings.

Georgia also picked up a huge road win against Marquette in December. With the Golden Eagles’ number 46 RPI ranking, the win in Milwaukee is a big part of the Bulldogs resume.

The Dawgs then beat Temple at home. Temple has a number 43 rank RPI, but  is fading in American Conference play. Before being defeated by Georgia, the Owls defeated Auburn, Clemson, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. The Temple win will stay big for the Dawgs.

Tack on a win over arch-rival Georgia Tech of the ACC. Then consider the Bulldogs avoided the embarrassing pre-conference upsets that haunt many teams when March rolls around, and Georgia basketball  entered SEC play with the NCAA Tournament in its sights.

Still, approaching the halfway point in SEC play, Georgia basketball finds itself where it usually does in January: needing to prove itself to the NCAA Tournament committee. With Kansas State’s Pomeroy ranking of 37, a win over the Wildcats is just what the tournament selection doctor is ordering.