The last time these two met it was an odd game for the Wildcats as they blew an 18-point lead at halftime and tried to keep Georgia at a distance the entire second half.
Georgia did all of this without Marcus Thornton, their leading scorer, helping them on offense due a concussion he suffered before that game. They were attacking for the majority of the game against Kentucky in what should have been a blowout.
Kentucky is also adding a player since that game with the return of Trey Lyles into the lineup. Lyles had come down with a sudden sickness and missed multiple games in which Kentucky felt off without one of their star rebounders. Now, with Lyles easily playing his best basketball of the season it is difficult to tell how this game could play out.
Georgia hasn't exactly been deadly at home, falling victim to the likes of Auburn and South Carolina both in Stegeman Coliseum. They were able to beat Mississippi twice but are unable to stay consistent in league play.
With how these Bulldogs play it's obvious they come to play against the tougher teams. They gave Kentucky their all in the 69-58 defeat and will do it again when Kentucky has to come to a more hostile environment.
But, it's also safe to say Kentucky has gotten better since the beginning of February and always performs their best on the road. The freshmen like the crowds yelling at them and they thrive for the intensity. Places like Georgia produce Kentucky's best basketball.
Kentucky will need to produce if they want to win their 30th game in a row, an achievement every Wildcat has to be wanting right now. Nobody wants to be stopped short of anything and that's what is driving this Kentucky team to finish the regular season as strong as they have.
Georgia's recipe for winning is to make sure they get and keep Thornton involved in the ball game. Attack on defense and being the aggressor shows Kentucky that they can't walk into their house and kick them around. Shots will have to be falling for the Bulldogs to pull this off.
Kentucky will have to just, well, keep being Kentucky. They are easily playing their best basketball at the dawn of March after destroying a ranked Arkansas team 84-67. As long as Kentucky comes in like they have 29 other times and stays focused on the game in front of them, they can reach 30-0 in Athens.
Pat's Picks
Andrew Harrison- Andrew has never been on this list due to his inconsistency as an overall player. He's finally found his groove nearing the end of his sophomore year and is able to score easily but likes to distribute more often. After an 18-point performance expect to see more out of this Harrison twin on the offensive end.
Marcus Thornton- If the ball does not touch this man's hands every time down the court, Georgia is doing something wrong. He is their strongest player on offense and he is able to create for anyone on the floor of he gets going. Kentucky will try to double team and that could leave shooters open and nightmares will ensue for the Wildcats.