LSU Basketball vs. Georgia Game Preview
No. 25 LSU Basketball (14-3, 4-0) welcomes Georgia (9-8, 1-4) for a Wednesday night showdown. The Tigers look to go 11-0 at home with a win over the Bulldogs.
When: January 23, 2019, @ 7:00 PM ET
TV: SEC Network
Location: Pete Maravich Assembly Center
SERIES HISTORY
According to Georgia’s game notes, the Tigers lead the all-time series record, 66-47 including a 35-15 record at home.
Last season, Georgia swept the Tigers with a 61-60 win in Baton Rouge and then a 93-82 victory in Athens.
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LSU head coach, Will Wade is 0-4 against the Bulldogs. As for Georgia head coach Tom Crean, this game will be his first time coaching against the Tigers.
Scouting Georgia
The Bulldogs have two sophomores that lead the way for the team.
Rayshaun Hammonds leads the Bulldogs scoring 12.9 points a game. He ranks No. 8 in free throw completing 83.9 percent.
Nicolas Claxton seems to be a one-man show for the Bulldogs. He averages 12.4 points: 9.6 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game.
Claxton ranks No. 5 nationally and leads the SEC in blocked shots at 3.1 per game.
This average was more than 153 Division one schools as a whole. The sophomore also leads the SEC in rebounding.
Claxton leads the Bulldogs this season in assist with 35 and steals with 22.
Georgia leads the SEC and ranks No. Three nationally with 6.1 blocks per game. The Bulldogs are incredibly successful at swatting away the ball and will look to continue that in Baton Rouge.
What LSU Must do to Avoid Upset
LSU is the only other team in the SEC outside of top-ranked Tennessee that is undefeated in SEC play. The Tigers are also on a seven-game winning streak.
Wednesday’s game plan should be simple for the Tigers. That game plan is to keep doing what they have done all season long.
However, Georgia will be looking to upset the Tigers and end their three-game losing streak.
If the Tigers want to continue their success, they must get the ball to Kavell Bigby-Williams, Tremont Waters and Skylar Mays.
These three players are the glue to LSU’s success.
According to LSU’s Stats, in the 17 games, the Tigers have played, Waters scored double-digit points in 12 of them. Three of those games were double-doubles where he had at least ten assists during the game.
Mays is another player that has been notably successful this season. He has scored double-digit points in 13 of the 17 games and is completing 48 percent of his shots.
Bibgy-Williams not only scores a lot but is the anchor on defense. In the last two games, he recorded two double-doubles scoring 14 and 12 points while bringing down 10 and 11 rebounds.
He has five double-doubles on the season, and his latest two earned Bigby-Williams SEC Player of the Week honors.
LSU is hot right now and just needs to stick to their game plan. If the Tigers do, they will win.
SL’s Game Prediction:
Despite the Bulldogs trying to earn its second SEC win of the season, the team isn’t there yet. Crean is in his first season, and it will take a couple recruiting classes and time to get the program on track.
LSU has yet another impressive performance and continues its undefeated record at home. The Tigers are on a roll, and it’ll take a lot more than the Bulldogs have to slow them down.
Up Next for LSU Basketball
LSU Basketball travels to Missouri next for a Saturday evening matchup. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. The Tigers will look to continue its win streak and stay undefeated in the SEC.