Mike White reveals how Georgia can match up with Kentucky

The Georgia Bulldogs and Kentucky Wildcats will square off on Tuesday in Lexington as both teams are fresh off of big conference victories. Bulldogs head coach Mike White previewed their upcoming matchup versus Big Blue, starting with highlighting some of the Wildcats’ key playmakers including former Unanimous National Player of the Year Oscar Tshiebwe.

“Specifically they’re really good in transition offense, I think Oscar’s one of the best rim-running bigs that again we’ve evaluated and scouted against in a long time,” White said. “And Sahvir Wheeler, his speed downhill in space, film doesn’t do it justice. I’ve seen it live and I’ve tried to explain that to some of our guys that haven’t competed against him.”

Wheeler did not play in the Wildcats’ upset victory over Tennessee due to a shoulder injury, but Tshiebwe did, and he did Tshiebwe things. He had 15 points and 13 rebounds versus the Vols on 50% shooting, good for his 10th double-double of the season. He ranks in the top five in the SEC in points per game and ranks second in the nation in rebounds per game, and will definitely be a key in the Bulldogs’ game plan.

“But also they’ve got wings that they can pitch ahead to that are skilled and can make plays in space, and they’ve got shooters. So transition offense for them, our transition defense, is very very important, leveling them and being able to set our man-to-man,” White said.

Kentucky’s skill and individual talent will always be a factor in games they play, but their defense as a team was their key to victory versus Tennessee. The Wildcats held a No. 5 ranked Volunteers team to a season-low 56 points on Sunday, and if they bring that same intensity versus the Bulldogs on Tuesday, it could be a long night for Georgia.

“The defensive glass is enormous for us, which starts and ends with Oscar, but then they’re coming off again one of the better defensive performances of the season throughout college basketball to defend the way they did on the road at Tennessee,” White said. “Every point is going to be very difficult to come by and we’ve got to figure out a way to manufacture some baskets and get to the foul line and convert.”

Georgia and Kentucky will square off on Tuesday night at 9:00 p.m. in a matchup airing on ESPN.