Georgia Tech @ Georgia preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 22, 2018 ) Georgia 70, Georgia Tech 59

Georgia Tech has not reached the NCAA tournament since 2010 and that streak will grow given the Yellow Jackets are banned from the 2020 postseason, so Wednesday’s trip to in-state rival Georgia takes on even more meaning. The Yellow Jackets have lost four in a row against the Bulldogs, their longest losing streak in the series since the early 1980s, and Georgia Tech's chances of snapping the run depends in part on Jose Alvarado’s sprained right ankle.

The junior point guard, who led Georgia Tech in scoring (12.5) and assists (3.4) a season ago, missed the 64-41 victory over Elon on Nov. 11 and there remains doubt how effective he will be if he can play. “If he’s not able to go full throttle by (Tuesday), it’s going to be hard to play him on Wednesday because he’ll have missed a lot of time over a week and a half,” Yellow Jackets coach Josh Pastner told reporters Monday. “For his sake, we don’t want to do anything to jeopardize him for the long term.” The Bulldogs have relied heavily on outstanding guard play from a pair of freshmen in averaging 95.3 points, as Anthony Edwards leads the team in scoring at 19.7 points and steals with 10, and point guard Sahvir Wheeler is averaging 12 points with six assists. “I’m not sure I’ve ever coached a team that’s had 30 assists,” Georgia coach Tom Crean told reporters after the Bulldogs reached that total along with 13 steals in Friday’s 100-66 rout of Delaware State, the most assists by a Georgia team since 2006.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, SEC Network Plus

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH (2-0): Sophomore guard Michael Devoe has been the big scoring threat through two games, recording 22 points in each contest while shooting a combined 14-for-23 from the field and 6-for-8 from 3-point range. Senior forward James Banks III fueled an opening-night upset of North Carolina State with 20 points, 13 rebounds and five blocked shots, and added six blocks against Elon. Junior guard Bubba Parham started for Alvarado against Elon, scoring five points with no assists, but on the night the Yellow Jackets finished with more turnovers (17) than assists (14).

ABOUT GEORGIA (3-0): Edwards, one of the highest-regarded freshmen in the nation, scored just six points against Delaware State after recording 53 across his first two games, but added seven assists and three steals Friday. Junior forward Rayshaun Hammonds scored 26 points Friday on 11-for-14 shooting and pulled down a career-best 14 rebounds, giving him 35 on the season. The Bulldogs are shooting 50.7 percent from the field through three games and have committed just 34 turnovers.

TIP-INS

1. The Bulldogs, who have not reached the NCAA tournament since 2015, have scored 90-plus points in three consecutive games for the first time since 2006.

2. The Yellow Jackets host Arkansas on Monday, and after opening December at home against Bethune-Cookman face consecutive games against Nebraska (at home), Syracuse (at home) and at No. 10 Kentucky.

3. Georgia has scored 28 points off turnovers in back-to-back games.

PREDICTION: Georgia 87, Georgia Tech 74