Tennessee Volunteers vs Georgia Bulldogs Picks and Predictions January 15th 2025

Georgia Faces Tough Test at No. 6 Tennessee After Cracking Top 25

Newly ranked No. 23 Georgia will try to maintain its momentum when it faces No. 6 Tennessee on Wednesday night in a Southeastern Conference clash in Knoxville, Tenn. For the Bulldogs, this game offers an opportunity to solidify their national standing after entering the AP poll for the first time since 2011.

Georgia Riding High After Upsets

Georgia (14-2, 2-1 SEC) vaulted into the rankings following consecutive victories over ranked opponents. The Bulldogs toppled then-No. 6 Kentucky 82-69 and followed with a 72-62 win against then-No. 17 Oklahoma. Despite the recognition, head coach Mike White is urging his team to stay grounded.

“We’re just not going to do big picture,” White said. “We’ve got a ways to go. We do.”

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Asa Newell continues to anchor Georgia’s success, leading the team with averages of 15.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Freshman Somto Cyril adds defensive prowess, boasting 32 blocked shots this season, including four in the win over Oklahoma.

Georgia’s offense is also fueled by Dakota Leffew, who averages 12.4 points per game and leads the team with 38 3-pointers. The Bulldogs will need contributions from their entire roster to snap Tennessee’s four-game winning streak in the series.

Tennessee Aims to Regroup

Tennessee (15-1, 2-1) responded to its first loss of the season—a 73-43 blowout against then-No. 8 Florida—with a gritty 74-70 road win over Texas. Head coach Rick Barnes saw encouraging signs from players like Darlinstone Dubar, who scored 12 points off the bench against the Longhorns.

“He just played with a force,” Barnes said of Dubar. “We need him to do it. He can really shoot the ball.”

Zakai Zeigler led the Volunteers in that victory, contributing 16 points and eight assists. Zeigler, who averages 11.9 points and 7.6 assists per game, is on the verge of a milestone, needing seven assists to become only the second player in Tennessee history to reach 600.

Tennessee’s leading scorer, Chaz Lanier, is looking to break out of a recent slump. Over the past two games, Lanier has scored just 10 points in each outing, shooting a combined 22.2 percent from the field. Barnes hasn’t shied away from holding Lanier accountable, benching him briefly against Texas for not taking a designed shot.

“That play was designed for that shot,” Barnes said. “I told him, ‘If you’re not going to do what you’re getting paid to do, you sit over here.’”

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Key Matchups

• Maximizing the Paint: Georgia’s Asa Newell and Somto Cyril will need to battle Tennessee’s physical forwards, including Dubar and Olivier Nkamhoua, on the boards and in defensive sets.
• Lanier vs. Georgia’s Defense: If Chaz Lanier regains his scoring touch, he could pose significant problems for Georgia. Conversely, the Bulldogs will aim to exploit his recent shooting struggles.
• Perimeter Play: Georgia’s Leffew and Tennessee’s Zakai Zeigler could engage in a 3-point duel, making perimeter defense a critical factor.

What’s at Stake

Georgia has a chance to prove its Top 25 ranking is no fluke by earning its second consecutive win over a top-10 opponent. Tennessee, meanwhile, will look to maintain its dominance in the series and demonstrate resilience following its first loss of the season.

With both teams boasting talented rosters and a lot on the line, this SEC showdown promises to be a fiercely contested battle.