Auburn Tigers at Georgia Bulldogs 1/13/21 - College Basketball Picks & Predictions

A couple of teams hunting for their first conference win will do battle when the Auburn Tigers travel on the road to Stegeman Coliseum to take on the Georgia Bulldogs. Auburn has dropped four games in a row, the most recent a 94-90 loss at home to hated rival Alabama to drop to 6-6 on the year. Georgia has lost three straight and is coming off back to back road losses to LSU before being trounced 99-69 by Arkansas. 

Auburn is in the midst of a reload year after returning just 15.9% of their scoring from last years’ team, they’re averaging 75.7 points per game ranking 114th in the country in scoring offense. The Tigers are shooting 44.6% from the field and 34% from beyond the arc, ranking 163rd in both nationally. A couple of sophomores have been thrown into the fire for Aubrun this season and they’ve answered by producing as well as head coach Bruce Pearl could ask for. 

Allen Flannigan came off the bench for a majority of last season but he’s averaging 14 points and 3 assists per game, both of which are team-highs. He also pulls down 5.2 rebounds per game. Flanigan shoots 50% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc on a shade under 5.5 threes per game. Fellow sophomore Jaylin Williams is averaging 10.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. 

Georgia, despite the loss of #1 overall draft pick Anthony Edwards, has been a solid offensive team this season averaging 80.2 points per game ranking 45th in the country in scoring offense. The Bulldogs are shooting 46.5% from the field but have really struggled from three making just 30.5% of their shots from beyond the arc. 

Georgia is a balanced scoring attack with 7 players averaging double-figures, that kind of depth can’t be undervalued in the grind of an SEC schedule. A couple of sophomores lead Georiga as well with sophomore forward Toumani Camara leading the team in scoring with 14.3 points and rebounding with 7.9 per game. Sophomore guard Sahvir Wheeler dishes out a team-high 7.4 assists and adds 13.7 points per.

Both teams have been defensively challenged with Auburn allowing 73.7 points per game ranking 255th in the country in scoring defense. Tigers’ opponents are shooting 43.4% from the field but Auburn has been able to limit the three. Auburn is 102nd in KenPom adjusted defense. Georgia is allowing 72.9 points per game ranking 233rd in the nation in scoring defense, opposing teams are shooting 42.4% from the field. The Bulldogs are 75th in KenPom adjusted defense.