Bulldogs Can’t Breathe On Their Own, Need Help To Reproduce

Image: UT Athletics

By Donaven Cook

The Georgia Bulldogs are in town tonight to play the Vols in Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center at 8 p.m. ET.

Tennessee is coming off a scrappy win in Austin against the Texas Longhorns where Darlinstone Dubar stepped up in a big way to help his team hold off the opposition.

Georgia is coming off back-to-back wins in Athens against Kentucky on January 7th, 82-69, and Oklahoma, 72-62, on January 11th.

If there has been a team who has over performed thus far in the SEC, it has been the Bulldogs.

The Dawgs are led by freshman guard Asa Newell — who averages 15.4 points per game, 6.8 rebounds per game and is 28 percent from three.

Senior Dakota Leffew adds another 12.4 points per game and is 39 percent from three.

A funny note — Georgia has Knoxville native and former Knox Catholic standout Blue Cain on the roster. Cain transferred to IMG Academy before graduating high school.

Blue, they named him Blue!

Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes has a quote circulating the internet from the post-game press conference vs. Texas regarding his decision to bench Chaz Lanier early in the second half.

“I told him, I said, ‘If you’re not going to do what you’e getting paid to do, you sit over here.’”

Barnes drew a play up where Lanier was supposed to take the shot and instead Lanier passed up the opportunity.

Barnes took exception to that.

Expect Lanier to be less hesitant to shoot the basketball against the Bulldogs. Otherwise, he may find himself sitting beside Barnes once again.

Jahmai Mashack has been going through a drought as of late and whether that be due to injury to his finger, or just a slump, the Vols desperately need him to knock down at least a couple threes a night.

Or more if he is left wide open like he has been recently. If not, Dubar’s minutes may be on the rise.

It’s a game of who can score the most points and if Shack isn’t contributing offensively, it is as simple as “next man up.”