With Top 25 teams on horizon, Georgia faces Alabama A&M first

Field Level Media|published: Tue 19th November, 01:12 2024

Nov 10, 2024; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs guard Silas Demary Jr. (5) dribbles against Texas Southern Tigers guard Kavion McClain (2) at Stegeman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

In search of its first 5-0 start in four years, Georgia plays host to Alabama A&M in a matchup of Bulldogs teams on Tuesday in Athens, Ga.

Fresh off Friday's 77-69 road win over rival Georgia Tech, Georgia has one final tune-up before it takes on No. 15 Marquette and No. 22 St. John's on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, in Nassau, Bahamas.

After Georgia Tech took a three-point lead with 12:25 left in the second half, Georgia used a 14-0 run to pull away in its first road game of the season.

Silas Demary Jr. led the way with 18 points and seven rebounds for Georgia, while five-star freshman phenom Asa Newell chipped in 14 points, seven rebounds and two steals. The Bulldogs shot just 16.7 percent (3-for-18) from 3-point range, but coach Mike White's team is finding ways to "win ugly."

"When you go 3 of 18 from 3 and (have a) negative assist-to-turnover ratio as a team -- this team has more of a chance to win ugly, especially on the road, maybe more so than the past couple teams," White said. "I love the fight from our guys. It was a good win."

Georgia is just 25-for-85 (29.4 percent) from 3-point range this season. Newell leads the team with 16.8 points per game, followed by Mount St. Mary's transfer Dakota Leffew (15.5 points per game). Demary has chipped in 14.5 points and a team-best 3.8 assists per contest.

Alabama A&M (3-1) is facing its first power conference team of the season and just its second Division I opponent. The Bulldogs beat Oakwood, Arkansas Baptist and Fisk to start the campaign before falling to Tennessee State in Nashville on Saturday, 81-71.

Led by coach Otis Hughley Jr., the Bulldogs welcomed back 11 players from the 2023-24 team, including the reigning Southwestern Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year in Chad Moodie.

"This year we have a lot of two-way guys that just need to get experience and exposure," Hughley said. "Hopefully that will set in before conference play and we can take off running from there."

Moodie leads the team with 14.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, while London Riley chips in an average of 13.7 points.

--Field Level Media

Latest