Where Georgia basketball is picked to finish in SEC this season in year 2 under Mike White
The latest overhaul of Georgia basketball's roster brought to Athens nine scholarship newcomers for coach Mike White’s second season.
So how will a team with five transfers. four high school signees and four returnees from last season fare in the SEC?
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The Bulldogs are picked to finish 12th by a panel of SEC and national media members, according to an announcement by the conference Tuesday.
A different panel of 13 writers that cover the SEC for the USA TODAY Sports Network also projected Georgia for 12th place.
Georgia finished 11th in the SEC in White’s first season, going 16-16 and 6-12 in the SEC. White took over a program coming off a 6-26 season and 1-17 in the SEC.
“We’re trying to build something, and we are building something, we laid the foundation last year,” White said. “I really liked the pieces that we brought in. I feel strongly that we’ll be better this year. We were third in the league this past year in tempo, committed and convicted on playing fast. We’re hoping to be first or second in tempo this year, really getting up and down the floor.”
The five transfers include guard Noah Thomasson from Niagara, center Russel Tchewa from South Florida and guard RJ Melendez from Illinois.
Georgia’s four freshmen include three top 100 prospects—guards Silas Demary Jr. and Blue Cain and forward Dylan James.
Guards Justin Hill and Jabri Abdur-Rahim, forward Matthew Alexander-Moncrieffe and center Frank Anselem are the returnees.
Georgia opens the season Nov. 6 against Oregon in Las Vegas and plays its first home game Nov. 10 against Wake Forest.
SEC basketball official preseason poll
1. Tennessee
2. Texas A&M
3. Arkansas
4. Kentucky
5. Alabama
6. Auburn
7. Mississippi State
8. Florida
9. Missouri
10. Ole Miss
11. Vanderbilt
12. Georgia
13. LSU
14. South Carolina
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: What's the predicted finish in SEC for Georgia basketball?
