2016-2017 SEC basketball preview: Georgia Bulldogs

Things went about as well as expected for the Georgia Bulldogs a season ago. Picked to finish fifth in the SEC, Georgia finished tied for sixth in the conference with a 20-14 (10-8 SEC) record. A second-round loss to Saint Mary’s in the NIT Tournament concluded the 2015-2016 season.

This year’s Georgia squad has their sights set even higher. The Bulldogs were picked to finish fourth in the SEC. And with experienced playmakers returning, Georgia could make some noise and possibly finish the season with a ticket to the NCAA tournament.

Strengths

Led by two All-SEC upperclassmen, this year’s Georgia team should have no problem building chemistry. After having Kenny Gaines and Charles Mann, both senior guards, selected to the preseason All-SEC first team in 2015, it was a different pair who finished the season with all-conference honors.

Senior guard J.J. Frazier and junior forward Yante Maten were both selected to last season’s All-SEC second team and are picked to finish with all-conference distinctions this year as well.

Frazier, a preseason first team All-SEC selection, finished last season as a player who did it all for the Bulldogs by leading the team in a plethora of categories. The guard led Georgia in scoring (17.0 points per game), assists (4.4 per game), three-point percentage (.386) and free throw percentage (.824). He also finished top 10 in the conference in all of those categories.

Big man Yante Maten was picked as a member of the SEC’s preseason second team and had some impressive numbers of his own last year. Like Frazier, Maten finished last season as a top 10 scorer in the league (16.2 ppg). But unlike Frazier, Maten was able to crack the top five in rebounding (8.0 per game) and blocks (1.8).

A season ago, Maten’s rebounding led Georgia to third in the conference on the boards (39.2 rebounds per game) and fourth in swats (5.3 blocks per game) as a team. The 6-foot-8 forward’s play was (literally) huge for the Bulldogs, and he’ll have to continue to make his presence felt if the Bulldogs want to finish near the top of the conference.

Georgia was a serious threat around the rim a season ago. That physicality will help them as they head into the 2016-2017 season.

Weaknesses

Although Georgia returns All-SEC talent, they’ll lose some experienced guards to graduation. Kenny Gaines and Charles Mann were the third and fourth-highest scorers on the squad, respectively. While neither finished All-SEC as they were predicted in the preseason, both averaged double-figures and accounted for 24.1 points per game combined.

Speaking of scoring, Georgia was only able to finish 10^th in the conference in scoring despite having two of the top 10 scorers in Frazier and Maten. The Bulldogs also finished near the bottom of the conference in assists and steals, finishing 11^th and 13^th, respectively.

Shooting was another problem that plagued the Dawgs. Georgia shot just 42.1 percent from the field, finishing 12^th in the conference a season ago. They didn’t fare much better from beyond the arc and finished 11^th in the SEC with just 6.4 three-pointers made per game.

Mark Fox is entering his eighth season as head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs. He’s finished with 20 wins or more each of the last three seasons, but if he wants to claim the respect of the rest of the league, he’ll have to utilize every player he has, not just his stars.

Players to watch

G J.J. Frazier, Sr. – Without Tyler Ulis, the SEC is open for another point guard to make a name for himself. After finishing with All-SEC honors a season ago and being named to the preseason All-SEC first team this year, expectations are high for J.J. Frazier. The Bulldogs’ leading scorer from a season ago will likely claim that spot this season as well.

F Yante Maten, Jr. – Picked to finish second team All-SEC, Maten is the second option in the Bulldogs’ one-two punch of Frazier and Maten. His presence around the rim is his biggest asset, making a name for himself as a rebounder and a shot-blocker. If Mark Fox can get the most out of this big man, the Dawgs should able to compete with bigs around the league.

G Tyree Crump, Fr. – Crump is a four-star guard out of Bainbridge, Georgia. With the loss of senior guards Kenny Gaines and Charles Mann, Crump will likely be looked to for help in the backcourt. At 6-foot-1, he might lack the height to play a true shooting guard, but he can still provide much-needed scoring.

Matchups to watch

Texas A&M – The Aggies were picked to finish third in the SEC, just one spot ahead of the Bulldogs. If Georgia wants to make some noise in the conference, a win on the road in College Station on Jan. 21 would go a long way in determining the conference standings.

Arkansas – Moses Kingsley, the Razorbacks’ 6-foot-10 forward, was picked as the preseason SEC Player of the Year. This game will make for a great matchup with Kingsley facing Yante Maten down low. The Razorbacks were picked to finish fifth in the conference, so this one could have serious implications as well. Georgia takes on Arkansas in the last game of the season on March 4 in Fayetteville.

LSU – Without Ben Simmons, LSU becomes a very winnable game on the schedule. After a disappointing 89-85 loss in Baton Rouge a season ago, revenge will be on the Bulldogs’ mind. The rematch is set for Feb. 25 in Athens this season.

Prediction

Georgia may not win the SEC, but they definitely have the talent to shake things up. With two All-SEC players returning, Georgia will be an experienced squad that is dangerous around the rim. The Bulldogs will finish fourth in the conference. A deep SEC tournament run will earn them a high seed in the NIT.

Edited by Dalton King 

Featured image by Ianmccor, courtesy of creativecommons.org

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