On Saturday in Athens, Ga., Georgia will host a Tennessee Tech team that is probably thankful for not being a member of the SEC.
The Golden Eagles took a 50-point loss at SEC opponent Kentucky and now face a second SEC team in Georgia, which ranks fifth in the nation with 95.6 points per game.
Georgia (6-1) is off its first loss of the season, a 97-94 overtime defeat against Clemson on Sunday. The Bulldogs trailed by six points with 27 seconds left and trimmed the lead to 95-94, but Jeremiah Wilkinson missed a 3-pointer to potentially force a second overtime.
The Bulldogs got 26 points from Wilkinson, who is the team’s leading scorer (16.0 ppg). The Cal transfer shot 9-for-15, including 2-for-5 from 3-point range. Blue Cain added 19 points and seven rebounds, shooting 3-for-6 from 3-point territory. Big man Somto Cyril chipped in 11 points despite fouling out.
“We did a lot of good things, (I) said probably that’s the best we’ve played,” Georgia coach Mike White said. “We’ll continue to get better. I love the fight.”
Tennessee Tech (3-4) took a 104-54 whipping at Kentucky on Wednesday. Golden Eagles coach John Pelphrey was warmly welcomed at Rupp Arena, where his jersey was retired after his playing career ended at Kentucky in 1992.
Despite the final margin, Tennessee Tech was competitive early, leading 25-23 with 7:18 remaining in the first half, before Kentucky moved out to a 15-point halftime edge as Tennessee Tech had just three points in the remainder of the half. Kentucky then pulled away comfortably in the second half.
Tennessee Tech got 29 of its 54 points from the bench, led by Ja’Quavian Florence’s 11 points on 5-for-12 shooting and Dani Pounds’ 10 points on 4-for-10 from the floor.
“We played the best 15-16 minutes we’ve played all year at both ends of the floor,” Pelphrey said. “And there came a point in time where the ball just would not go in the basket.”
The Golden Eagles have yet to post a winning season record in Pelphrey’s seventh season and the school hasn’t reached the NCAA Tournament since 1963.
