Georgia Basketball Hosts Charlotte for Second Preseason Test
The Georgia Bulldogs basketball team hosts the Charlotte 49ers tonight at 7 p.m. ET at Stegeman Coliseum for their second preseason exhibition of the year, entering the matchup following a 94-61 victory over Georgia State last week.
Stegeman Coliseum Showdown Against Charlotte
Tonight’s game marks the first exhibition for Charlotte under the direction of head coach Wes Miller during his debut season with the 49ers. Last week against Georgia State, the Bulldogs built a 48-24 halftime lead, shot 51.6% from the field, and forced 35 fast-break points while holding the Panthers to 33.9% shooting.
Penn State transfer Freddie Dilione led the scoring for Georgia with 14 points in the opener. Returning starters Blue Cain and Kanon Catchings each added 13 points.
Mike White Praises Defensive Efficiency but Wants Better Rebounding
Georgia head coach Mike White praised the team’s defensive efficiency during the first exhibition but emphasized the need for stronger defensive rebounding. Offensively, White noted that the team still has technical details to clean up following the opening win.
“I think the morale of the team was really good,” Cain said. “I thought it was very unselfish. I thought we were rooting each other on, playing hard, so I think a lot of positive to build on. Obviously it’s very early, so there’s still cleaning up some of the minor details. But I think the morale was very good.”
Charlotte’s roster features nine new players, including Cincinnati guard Keyshuan Tillery, former Georgia Tech center Peyton Marshall, and Rutgers forward Dylan Grant. Miller’s Cincinnati squad previously faced the Bulldogs last December in Atlanta.
Looking Ahead to Defensive Consistency
White pointed out that reviewing film from the Georgia State game motivated players in subsequent practices. For tonight’s matchup, the coaching staff wants to evaluate defensive consistency and observe how the backcourt handles different defensive schemes thrown by Charlotte.
“I just want us to get better,” point guard Smurf Millender said. “You know, flowing the ball, offense. On defense, keep playing hard. The last game we played a little chaotic on defense, but we caused a lot of turnovers. You know, it’s not always going to look pretty. I just want us to just continue to keep building our chemistry because we have a long season ahead of us and it’s just the beginning.”