North Carolina Central @ Georgia preview

Anthony Edwards has lived up to the hype through his first seven games with the Georgia, and the freshman guard enters Wednesday’s home game against North Carolina Central following an outstanding performance at last week’s Maui Invitational. Edwards earned SEC freshman of the week honors after averaging 22.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals in the event and making the game-winning shot against Chaminade.

“He’s wired to take that shot and make that shot,” Georgia coach Tom Crean told reporters after Edwards decided not to drive to the basket as Crean had instructed, but rather pulled up for a 3-pointer with 0.6 seconds left to seal an 80-77 victory. But even bigger was Edwards’ performance in the second half of a 93-85 loss to then third-ranked Michigan State one day before, as he rallied Georgia from a 28-point second-half deficit to within two points by scoring 33 of his 37 points in the second half. Edwards began the week second in the SEC in scoring at 20.6 points, second in steals per game at 2.3, and seventh in average 3-pointers per game at 2.4. The Eagles have dropped two in a row and six of eight to start the season, falling 77-59 on Monday at Wofford.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, No TV

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL (2-6): Senior forward Jibri Blount leads the Eagles in scoring at 16.3 points and rebounding at 9.3, and across his past three games is averaging 24 points and 8.3 boards. Senior guard Randy Miller Jr. is the only other Eagles player averaging double-figures scoring at 14.3 points and is shooting 38.1 percent from 3-point range. North Carolina Central ranks 335th in the nation in scoring offense at 59.6 points, and in its only matchup this season against a Power 5 team fell 87-58 to top-ranked Louisville on Nov. 17.

ABOUT GEORGIA (5-2): Junior forward Rayshaun Hammonds has shaken off a slow start to the season, averaging 16.4 points and 8.2 rebounds in his past five games to boost his season totals to 14.1 points and 8.9 rebounds (second in the SEC). Freshman point guard Sahvir Wheeler is tied 10th in the SEC in assists per game at 4.4, and third in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.1). The Bulldogs entered Tuesday averaging 84.9 points (11th in the nation) and have scored 80 or more points in six of their first seven games - the lone exception an 80-61 defeat in the Maui opener against Dayton.

TIP-INS

1. Edwards' 37 points against Michigan State matched the 11th highest scoring total in Georgia history, and the most by a freshman since Jacky Dorsey scored 41 against LSU in 1975.

2. Georgia transfer G Donnell Greshman Jr. is shooting 21-for-24 from the free-throw line and averages 7.7 points.

3. The Bulldogs are allowing opponents to shoot 38.3 percent from 3-point range, ranking 322nd nationally entering the week.

PREDICTION: Georgia 88, North Carolina Central 63