Helena Frye
The Georgia Bulldogs men's basketball team has not yet had a successful season in terms of tournament appearances. They were selected for the 2025 NCAA Tournament but lost in the first round to the Gonzaga Bulldogs. The team is looking to build on their 2024-25 season, where they finished 20-11 overall and 8-10 in SEC action, and are hoping to make their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2015. With the return of key players and a strong recruiting class, the Bulldogs are positioning themselves as a strong candidate for future tournaments.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| UGA Men's Basketball 2024-25 Season Outcome | Selected for the 2025 NCAA Tournament, but lost in the first round to Gonzaga Bulldogs |
| UGA Men's Basketball 2023-24 Season Outcome | Finished the regular season 20-11 overall and 8-10 in SEC action |
| UGA Men's Basketball 2024-25 Roster | Includes Silas Demary Jr., Blue Cain, and Savo Drezgic |
| Last UGA Men's Basketball NCAA Tournament Appearance | 2015 |
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What You'll Learn
Georgia Bulldogs' tournament history
The Georgia Bulldogs men's basketball team has had its fair share of successes, despite being overshadowed by the school's football programme. The team was established in 1905 and has competed in the Southeastern Conference since the conference's inception in 1932.
The Bulldogs made their first-ever postseason appearance in 1981 under Coach Hugh Durham, earning a National Invitation Tournament (NIT) bid with a 19-12 (9-9) record. The following year, they made it to the NIT Final Four, marking the beginning of an eight-season postseason streak, the longest in Georgia basketball history. This streak included three NCAA appearances and five NIT bids.
In 1983, the Bulldogs made their first NCAA tournament appearance, reaching the Final Four under Coach Hugh Durham. They defeated Virginia Commonwealth, #3 St. John's, and defending national champion North Carolina on their way, before being eliminated by the eventual champion, North Carolina State. This was the Bulldogs' only Final Four appearance in their history.
The Bulldogs have reached the NCAA Tournament only 13 times in 119 seasons. Their last official NCAA Tournament win came in 1996 when they advanced to the Sweet 16 and lost to Syracuse in overtime. In 2025, the Bulldogs earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a decade, entering as the No. 9 seed.
The Georgia Bulldogs have had notable performances in other tournaments as well. In 1997, they won the Rainbow Classic holiday tournament in Hawaii, defeating Washington State, Memphis, and Maryland. In 1998, they reached the NIT Final Four, winning against Iowa, North Carolina State, and Vanderbilt. In 2008, they won their first-ever SEC Tournament game against Kentucky, becoming the first team since Kentucky in 1952 to win two tournament games in one day.
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UGA's 2024-25 season performance
The Georgia Bulldogs had a strong start to the 2024-25 season, winning their first five games. They began with an 83-78 victory over Tennessee Tech, followed by wins against Texas Southern (92-64), North Florida (90-77), Georgia Tech (77-69), and Alabama A&M (93-45). This early success positioned them well for the rest of the season.
However, their winning streak came to an end on November 23 when they faced Marquette and suffered an 80-69 loss. The Bulldogs quickly bounced back, defeating St. John's (NY) by a score of 66-63 the very next day. They continued their winning ways with a dominant performance against Jacksonville, securing a 102-56 victory on November 30.
The Bulldogs finished the regular season with an impressive overall record of 20-11 and a conference record of 8-10 in SEC action. Their performance earned them a spot in the 2025 NCAA Tournament as the #9 seed in the Midwest region. However, their tournament run was short-lived as they lost in the first round to the #8 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs by a score of 89-68.
Despite the early exit from the tournament, the Georgia Bulldogs showed promise and fought hard throughout the 2024-25 season. With a strong foundation and continued improvement, the team will look to build upon this season's achievements and make a deeper run in the upcoming year.
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2025 NCAA Tournament first-round opponent: Gonzaga Bulldogs
The Georgia Bulldogs are set to play in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, facing the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the first round. This will be the sixth all-time meeting between the two teams.
The Gonzaga Bulldogs, also known as the Zags, are making their 26th consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament (27th if you count 2020). They are led by head coach Mark Few, who is in his 26th season as head coach. The team is located in Spokane, Washington, and played their home games at the on-campus McCarthey Athletic Center as members of the West Coast Conference (WCC). The Zags finished the 2023-24 season with a 27-8 record, 14-2 in WCC play, and lost to Purdue in the Sweet Sixteen.
The Georgia Bulldogs, also known as UGA, are making their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in over a decade. They finished the regular season with a 20-11 record, including wins over Florida and Kentucky, and are averaging 75.6 points per game on 46.4% shooting from the field. UGA has reached the "big dance" 13 times in 119 seasons, and their last official NCAA Tournament win was in 1996 when they advanced to the Sweet Sixteen.
The game between the two Bulldog teams will take place on Thursday, with tip-off at 1:35 pm Pacific Time in Wichita, Kansas' INTRUST Bank Arena. Gonzaga is favored by -7.5 points over Georgia, with the over/under set at 150.5. ESPN's matchup predictor gives Gonzaga a 71.3% chance of winning and advancing to the second round.
The winner of this first-round game will advance to play the winner between top-seeded Houston and 16th-seeded SIU-Edwardsville.
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ESPN's projections for UGA in the tournament
ESPN projects that the Georgia Bulldogs men's basketball team will be a No. 10 seed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. However, ESPN's bubble watch gives them only "50 percent" odds of making the tournament, which would be their first in a decade. They are projected to play the No. 7 Louisville Cardinals in the first round, with other potential opponents being Marquette, Kansas, and Ole Miss.
ESPN's matchup predictor gives their first-round opponent, the No. 8 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs, a 71.3% chance of beating UGA and advancing to the second round. Gonzaga averages 38.6 rebounds, 7.6 steals, 3.0 blocks, and 9.4 turnovers per game. They also shoot 50% from the field, 34.4% from 3-point range, and 80.1% from the free-throw line.
UGA has a 20-12 overall record and an 8-10 mark in SEC play. They ended the season with a four-game winning streak, including a notable home win over Vanderbilt. They have an 8-7 record against top-100 opponents and are in the top 40 in SOR (strength of record). They also have the fourth-best scoring defense (70.7) and field-goal percentage defense (41.3) in the league.
ESPN's projections for UGA in the 2025 NCAA Tournament give them a chance to make the tournament, but it is not guaranteed. They will need to win at least one SEC Tournament game to improve their position. Their potential first-round matchup against Louisville is projected to be a close contest, with UGA having a slight edge in terms of seeding.
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UGA's road to the 2025 tournament
The Georgia Bulldogs men's basketball team has had a strong 2024-25 season, finishing with a 20-11 overall record and 8-10 in the SEC. This has put them in a good position to compete in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
The Bulldogs secured their spot in the tournament with a four-game winning streak, including wins over Florida and Kentucky, to end the regular season. This streak pushed their record to 20-11, and they are now projected to be a 9 or 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
In the first round of the SEC Tournament, the Bulldogs, as the No. 11 seed, faced the No. 14 Oklahoma Sooners. They had defeated Oklahoma earlier in the season with a score of 72-62, and they were able to defeat them again in the first round, this time with a score of 81-75. This win advanced them to the next round, where they faced the No. 6 seed Kentucky Wildcats. Unfortunately, they were unable to continue their winning streak and fell to Kentucky with a score of 71-60.
Despite this loss, the Bulldogs' performance in the SEC Tournament solidified their spot in the NCAA Tournament. They entered the NCAA Tournament as the No. 9 seed and faced the No. 8 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs in the first round. This was a challenging matchup for the Bulldogs, as Gonzaga had a strong season and entered the tournament with a higher ranking. Unfortunately, the Georgia Bulldogs were unable to secure a win and lost to Gonzaga, marking the end of their 2025 tournament run.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the UGA men's basketball team earned a bid to the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
The UGA men's basketball team, also known as the Georgia Bulldogs, first played in the NCAA tournament in 1983.
The UGA men's basketball team has reached the tournament 13 times in 119 seasons.
The UGA men's basketball team has a combined March Madness record of 7-17, but with vacated appearances in 2002 and 1985, their official record is 5-10.
The UGA men's basketball team is seeded #9 in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
