| Georgia Bulldogs | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||
| University | University of Georgia | ||||||||||
| First season | 1906 | ||||||||||
| All-time record | 1,499–1,400 (.517) | ||||||||||
| Athletic director | Josh Brooks | ||||||||||
| Head coach | Mike White (4th season) | ||||||||||
| Conference | Southeastern Conference | ||||||||||
| Location | Athens, Georgia | ||||||||||
| Arena | Stegeman Coliseum (capacity: 10,523) | ||||||||||
| Nickname | Bulldogs | ||||||||||
| Student section | The Dawg Pound | ||||||||||
| Colors | Red and black[1] | ||||||||||
| Uniforms | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| NCAA tournament Final Four | |||||||||||
| 1983 | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Conference tournament champions | |||||||||||
| 1932, 1983, 2008 | |||||||||||
| Conference regular-season champions | |||||||||||
| 1909, 1914, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1931, 1990 | |||||||||||
| Conference division regular-season champions | |||||||||||
| 2002 | |||||||||||
TheGeorgia Bulldogs men's basketball program is the men'scollege basketball team representing theUniversity of Georgia inAthens, Georgia. Established in 1905,[2] the team has competed in theSoutheastern Conference since the conference’s inception in 1932. As of 2020 the Bulldogs have amassed a record of 1,434–1,319. Though it has been historically overshadowed by the school'sfootball program, the Bulldogs' basketball squad has had its share of successes, including a trip to theNCAA Final Four in 1983 under head coachHugh Durham.
Georgia was a founding member of theSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA), the first collegiate athletic conference formed in the United States. Georgia participated in the SIAA from its establishment in 1895 until 1921. In 1921, the Bulldogs, along with 12 other teams, left the SIAA and formed theSouthern Conference.[3] In 1932, the Georgia Bulldogs left the Southern Conference to form and join theSoutheastern Conference (SEC).
CoachRex Enright led Georgia to great success in the old Southern Conference during the 1931 and 1932 seasons. His 1931 team finished with a 23–2 (15–1) record. The Bulldogs were upset in the Southern Conference tournament semi-finals byMaryland, 26–25.
The 1932 team didn't have the dominating record that the 1931 team did, finishing 19–7 (7–4). However, this team did something that the previous year's team could not do in winning the Southern Conference tournament defeatingMississippi State,Virginia,Duke, andNorth Carolina.
Coach Hugh Durham brought Georgia to its first ever postseason appearance in1981. That team finished with a 19–12 (9–9) record. They earned aNational Invitation Tournament (NIT) bid and the enthusiasm surrounding the program earned them home games in first defeatingOld Dominion and then in a loss toSouth Alabama.
The 1982 Bulldogs were 19–12 (10–8) were once again NIT bound. This time UGA made it all the way to the NIT Final Four defeatingTemple, Maryland, andVirginia Tech before losing a heartbreaker toPurdue atMadison Square Garden.
These two teams marked the beginning of a postseason streak of eight straight seasons, longest in Georgia basketball history. This string included three NCAA appearances (including oneFinal Four in 1983) and five NIT bids. This was a remarkable streak of consistency for a program that had never before experienced the postseason beyond theSEC tournament.
FormerNBA starDominique Wilkins is considered the greatest player in school history.[4] However, Wilkins never played in theNCAA tournament; the Bulldogs made their first NCAA appearance in 1983—which would have been Wilkins' senior year had he not opted for the NBA. The1983 team made it to the Final Four of theNCAA Championship before being eliminated by eventual championNorth Carolina State. On the way to the Final Four, UGA defeatedVirginia Commonwealth, #3St. John's led by legendary coachLou Carnesecca andChris Mullin, and defending national champion North Carolina led byDean Smith and featuringMichael Jordan,Sam Perkins, andBrad Daugherty. The latter two victories coming at theCarrier Dome inSyracuse, New York. UGA previously had won the Southeastern Conference tournament inBirmingham, Alabama, defeatingOle Miss,Tennessee, andAlabama to earn the league's automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.
The1987 Georgia basketball team had multiple key players injured during the season, leaving the team with only seven players on the roster. Coach Hugh Durham had no choice but to alter the playing style of his team after conference play had started, slowing the game down and "taking the air out of the ball." What looked to be a disastrous season, where the team might not win another game, turned into an inspiring one as the team rallied to an 18–12 (10–8) record and earning an NCAA tournament bid. When Durham ordered the NCAA tournament banner to be displayed atStegeman Coliseum, he had it made in silver, rather than the traditional red, with the initials "TMW" at the bottom. The initials standing for what this team will forever be known as in UGA basketball history, "The Miracle Workers."
Tubby Smith led the Bulldogs to a 21–10 (9–7) record securing its first NCAA bid since the1991 season. Georgia made the most of it by defeatingClemson and the West Regional's top seed, Purdue, inAlbuquerque, New Mexico, before losing a heart stopping overtime game toSyracuse in the Sweet 16.
In 1997, Georgia finished 23–9 (10–6) winning the prestigious Rainbow Classic holiday tournament inHawaii, defeatingWashington State,Memphis, and Maryland. UGA beatLSU,South Carolina, andArkansas to advance to the SEC tournament final inMemphis, losing the final toKentucky.
Smith's successor,Ron Jirsa, led the 1998 Bulldogs to a 21–14 (8–8) record, reaching the 20 win mark for the third consecutive year for the first time in Georgia basketball history. They would go on to reach the1998 NIT Final Four winning atIowa, at North Carolina State, and beatingVanderbilt at home.
In the 2007–2008 season, Georgia's men's basketball team came into the2008 SEC men's basketball tournament with a 13–16 overall record and a 4–12 conference mark. At one point, the team sustained two five-game losing streaks during a 2-of-12 stretch in conference play. In the first round of the tournament, Georgia was slated to play Ole Miss, who had beaten the Bulldogs in the season-closer, securing the Rebels' only road SEC win of the season. The game went into overtime after RebelDavid Huertas hit all three free throws after a three-point shooting foul, and looked to go into a second extra period afterChris Warren did the same. However, with 0.4 seconds left in overtime, Georgia seniorDave Bliss banked in the game-winner to shock the Rebels and send Georgia into a second-round matchup with Kentucky.
On the night of March 14, 2008, tornadoes hitAtlanta, in whoseGeorgia Dome the SEC Tournament was housed. The Georgia-Kentucky matchup was rescheduled for the early afternoon of March 15, 2008, with the winner advancing to play the SEC West's #1 seed, Mississippi State, later that evening. The remaining games in the tournament would be played atAlexander Memorial Coliseum, the basketball complex ofGeorgia Tech, UGA's in-state rival. Again playing an overtime game in which Georgia starSundiata Gaines fouled out, Georgia freshman Zac Swansey hit a turnaround three-point jumper with 1.4 seconds left to give the Bulldogs the team's first ever win over Kentucky in the SEC Tournament.[5] That night, Georgia defeated Mississippi State 64–60 to become the first team since Kentucky in 1952 to win two tournament games in one day, and the first-ever #6 seed from a division to advance to the modern (post-1992) SEC tournament finals.
In the finals, Georgia faced Arkansas, which had lost to Georgia 82–69 in the regular season. Georgia prevailed again, at one point leading the Razorbacks by nineteen points en route to winning its first tournament championship in 25 years. Sundiata Gaines andTerrance Woodbury were both named to the All-Tournament Team, with Gaines winning the tournament's MVP. The improbable list of achievements—winning the tournament as a 6-seed, playing two games in one day to reach the finals, playing two games (against Kentucky and Mississippi State) in which Gaines fouled out with a substantial amount of time to play, doing it on a rival's home court, and winning four consecutive elimination games following a season during which their longest winning streak stood at three—earned the 2007–2008 team the nickname of Dream Dawgs.[6]
With the victory, Georgia secured itself an automatic bid in the2008 NCAA tournament. Georgia's appearance in the tournament was the tenth overall in team history and the first since the2002 NCAA basketball tournament. After their SEC Championship run, the Bulldogs were seeded 14th in the NCAA Tournament, playing against the #3 seededXavier Musketeers. After developing a lead early in the 2nd half, the Bulldogs could not hold on, as Xavier went on to win 73–61.
CoachDennis Felton failed to follow up the surprise successes of 2008 with victories in 2008–09, and he was fired on January 29, 2009.
On April 3, 2009,Nevada head coachMark Fox was announced as the next head coach of the Bulldogs.[7]
In nine seasons with Fox, the Bulldogs posted a 163–133 record and made theNCAA tournament twice, in2011 and2015. In both instances, the Bulldogs exited in the Round of 64.[8]
Fox was fired on March 10, 2018 following an 18–15 finish to the2017–18 season as the Bulldogs failed to qualify for any postseason competition.[9]
On March 15, 2018, formerMarquette andIndiana head coachTom Crean was announced as the next head coach of the Bulldogs.[10]
Anthony Edwards, Georgia native and first overall pick of the2020 NBA draft, played his only year of college basketball for the Bulldogs in 2019-20.
On March 13, 2022, formerFlorida head coachMike White was announced as the next head coach of the Bulldogs.[11]
Georgia has won one regular-season Southeastern Conference championship (1990) and two conference tournament championships (1983 and2008). The Bulldogs were SEC Eastern Division co-Champs in 1994–1995. Georgia also was the Southern Conference champions for 1931–1932.
Conference affiliations:
The Bulldogs have appeared in theNCAA tournament 13 times. Their combined record is 7–13. However, their appearances in 1985 and 2002 have been vacated by the NCAA making their official record 5–11.
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | #4 | Round of 32 Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four | #5 VCU #1 St. John's #2 North Carolina #6 NC State | W 56–54 W 70–67 W 82–77 L 60–67 |
| 1985* | #6 | Round of 64 Round of 32 | #11 Wichita State #3 Illinois | W 67–59 L 58–74 |
| 1987 | #8 | Round of 64 | #9 Kansas State | L 79–82OT |
| 1990 | #7 | Round of 64 | #10 Texas | L 88–100 |
| 1991 | #11 | Round of 64 | #6 Pittsburgh | L 68–76OT |
| 1996 | #8 | Round of 64 Round of 32 Sweet Sixteen | #9 Clemson #1 Purdue #4 Syracuse | W 81–74 W 76–69 L 81–83OT |
| 1997 | #3 | Round of 64 | #14 Chattanooga | L 70–73 |
| 2001 | #8 | Round of 64 | #9 Missouri | L 68–70 |
| 2002* | #3 | Round of 64 Round of 32 | #14 Murray State #11 Southern Illinois | W 85–68 L 75–77 |
| 2008 | #14 | Round of 64 | #3 Xavier | L 61–73 |
| 2011 | #10 | Round of 64 | #7 Washington | L 65–68 |
| 2015 | #10 | Round of 64 | #7 Michigan State | L 63–70 |
| 2025 | #9 | Round of 64 | #8 Gonzaga | L 68–89 |
* Vacated by the NCAA
The Bulldogs have appeared in theNational Invitation Tournament (NIT) 15 times. Their combined record is 16–15.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | First Round Second Round | Old Dominion South Alabama | W 74–60 L 72–73 |
| 1982 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | Temple Maryland Virginia Tech Purdue | W 73–60 W 83–69 W 90–73 L 60–61 |
| 1984 | First Round | Chattanooga | L 69–74 |
| 1986 | First Round Second Round | Chattanooga Clemson | W 95–81 L 65–77 |
| 1988 | First Round Second Round | Georgia Southern Middle Tennessee | W 53–48 L 54–69 |
| 1993 | First Round | West Virginia | L 84–95 |
| 1995 | First Round | Nebraska | L 61–69 |
| 1998 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals 3rd Place Game | Iowa NC State Vanderbilt Penn State Fresno State | W 88–70 W 80–79 W 77–70 L 60–66 W 95–79 |
| 1999 | First Round | Clemson | L 57–77 |
| 2004 | First Round | Iowa State | L 74–82 |
| 2007 | First Round Second Round | Fresno State Air Force | W 88–78 L 52–83 |
| 2014 | First Round Second Round | Vermont Louisiana Tech | W 63–56 L 71–79 |
| 2016 | First Round Second Round | Belmont Saint Mary's | W 93–84 L 65–77 |
| 2017 | First Round | Belmont | L 69–78 |
| 2024 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | Xavier Wake Forest Ohio State Seton Hall | W 78–76 W 72–66 W 79–77 L 67–84 |
| Georgia Bulldogs retired numbers | |||||
| No. | Player | Pos. | Tenure | Year retired | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Dominique Wilkins | Forward | 1979-1982 | 1991 | [12] |
| Player | Position | Year(s) | Selectors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Lienhard (2) | Center | 1969, 1970 | Helms Athletic Foundation |
| Dominique Wilkins (2) | Forward | 1981, 1982 | The Sporting News, NABC, UPI, Associated Press |
| Vern Fleming (2) | Guard | 1983, 1984 | Kodak, NABC |
| James Banks | Forward | 1984 | Playboy |
| Cedric Henderson | Forward | 1985 | Associated Press |
| Litterial Green (2) | Guard | 1989, 1991 | Basketball Weekly, Associated Press |
| Alec Kessler | Center | 1990 | UPI |
| Jumaine Jones | Forward | 1999 | Associated Press |
| Jarvis Hayes (2) | Forward | 2002, 2003 | Associated Press |
| Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | Guard | 2013 | Associated Press |
| Yante Maten | Forward | 2018 | Associated Press |
| [13] | |||
| No. | Name | Seasons | Record | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Walter Forbes | 1906–07 | 2–2 | .500 |
| 2 | C.O. Heidler | 1908–10, 12 | 16–6 | .727 |
| 3 | W.A. Cunningham | 1911, 17 | 10–6 | .625 |
| 4 | Howell Peacock | 1913–16 | 30–7 | .811 |
| 5 | Alfred Scott | 1918 | 6–1 | .857 |
| 6 | Kennon Mott | 1919 | 5–3 | .625 |
| 7 | Herman Stegeman | 1920–31 | 170–78 | .685 |
| 8 | Rex Enright | 1932–37 | 69–51 | .575 |
| 9 | Vernon Smith | 1938 | 1–1 | .500 |
| 10 | Frank Johnson | 1938 | 8–5 | .615 |
| 11 | Elmer A. Lampe | 1938–46 | 82–84 | .499 |
| 12 | Ralph Jordan | 1947–50 | 44–39 | .530 |
| 13 | Jim Whatley | 1950–51 | 24–18 | .571 |
| 14 | Harbin Lawson | 1952–65 | 112–241 | .317 |
| 15 | Ken Rosemond | 1966–73 | 92–111 | .453 |
| 16 | John Guthrie | 1974–78 | 46–86 | .348 |
| 17 | Hugh Durham | 1979–95 | 297–215† | .580 |
| 18 | Tubby Smith | 1996–97 | 45–19 | .703 |
| 19 | Ron Jirsa | 1998–99 | 35–30 | .538 |
| 20 | Jim Harrick | 2000–03 | 37–52‡ | .416 |
| 21 | Dennis Felton | 2004–09 | 84–91 | .480 |
| 22 | Pete Herrmann | 2009 (interim) | 3–9 | .250 |
| 23 | Mark Fox | 2009–18 | 163–133 | .551 |
| 24 | Tom Crean | 2018–2022 | 47–75 | .385 |
| 25 | Mike White | 2022–Present | 56–46 | .549 |
† – Does not include 1 win and 1 loss from the1985 NCAA tournament vacated due to sanctions.
‡ – Does not include 30 wins and 1 loss vacated due to sanctions.[14]