Georgia Tech @ Georgia preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 20, 2016 ) Georgia 60, Georgia Tech 43

Georgia Tech ended a three-game losing streak Sunday and, more importantly for the rest of the season, the Yellow Jackets saw Josh Okogie return to the court for his season debut heading into Tuesday’s contest at in-state rival Georgia. Okogie, who missed the first eight games of the season due to a suspension and a finger injury, scored 19 points in 28 minutes on 6-of-13 shooting from the field in a 79-54 home victory over Florida A&M.

“It felt great to finally get my feet back out onto the court,” Okogie told reporters after the game. “I went through a lot the past seven weeks.” Georgia has played well throughout the early weeks of its season, but the Bulldogs were upset 72-62 at UMass on Saturday in arguably their most disappointing showing of the season. “The defense wasn’t near what it needs to be at to win on the road,” Georgia coach Mark Fox told the media afterward. The nonconference matchup between Peach State rivals pits two of the better frontcourt players in the south in Georgia Tech center Ben Lammers and Georgia forward Yante Maten.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH (5-4): The Yellow Jackets pulled away from the start Sunday by scoring the game’s first 10 points, but lack of execution in close games has been a problem coach Josh Pastner hopes subsides with Okogie’s return. Freshman forward Moses Wright broke out for 18 points Sunday. Lammers, who has been hampered with a sore ankle, finished with six points and eight rebounds Sunday but is averaging 13.3 points and 8.1 rebounds on 52.9 percent shooting from the field.

ABOUT GEORGIA (7-2): Tuesday’s matchup continues an interesting stretch for Georgia, which impressed in nonconference victories over Saint Mary’s and Marquette, and faces a home game Friday against Temple. The Bulldogs were blitzed for 56.7 percent shooting by UMass in trailing by 19 points at halftime. Maten scored 14 of his 20 points in the first half and leads the Bulldogs in scoring (18.7 points per game) and rebounds (9.3 per contest) while shooting 50.5 percent from the field.

TIP-INS

1. Maten averages four offensive rebounds per game (ninth in the nation) and is 13 points shy of moving into 12th place on Georgia’s all-time scoring list.

2. The Yellow Jackets start the week 11th in the nation in scoring defense (61 points per game).

3. Georgia Tech leads the series 103-90, but the Bulldogs have won the past two meetings and hold a 53-30 advantage at home.

PREDICTION: Georgia 68, Georgia Tech 65