We’re only a week away from the start of the SEC Tournament, and a lot has yet to be decided when it comes to seeding.
A key matchup to watch for seeding purposes will take place on Wednesday, as Georgia will take on Texas A&M in Athens.
The Aggies currently sit at 7-9 in SEC play, which is good considering their 0-5 start in the conference. Texas A&M is battling to move up a couple seed lines to improve its standing.
Georgia has played its way out of the tournament picture, but could move closer with a good RPI win over the Aggies.
Mark Fox’s team more than likely needs to make a deep run in the conference tournament to get back on the bubble.
Difference Maker: Guard Play
Both teams have elite level big men, but it will be the guards that will be the difference in this particular game.
For Georgia, Turtle Jackson and Juwan Parker have been playing extremely well of late. If Jackson is hitting shots from outside and Parker is penetrating the lane, it really opens things up for Yante Maten.
As for the Aggies, TJ Starks is the key to success after Duane Wilson’s season-ending injury. Admon Gilder will score his usual 10+ points a game, but Starks is the facilitator that Texas A&M needs to make a deep run in March.
X-Factor: DJ Hogg
Starks and Gilder are two guards that have to play well for Texas A&M to have a chance to win this one, but Hogg is the player that play a huge role for the Aggies.
He has shown the ability to be an elite shooter, but the consistency hasn’t always been there. When Hogg is playing well, Texas A&M is nearly unstoppable.
If he brings his best in this game, it could provide Texas A&M with three-headed perimeter monster that may be difficult for Georgia to stop.
X-Factor: Derek Ogbeide
Ogbeide has been a double-double machine recently, recording 3 double-double in Georgia’s last four games.
Of course, in this game, Ogbeide will get the difficult task of defending Robert Williams and trying to keep him off the glass.
Maten will get all the attention in the front court, but Ogbeide has the ability to give the Bulldogs one of the most formidable frontcourts in the league.
Defending Williams on the glass and hitting double-digits in scoring are two things Ogbeide will need to do for Georgia to come out on top.
Prediction
Georgia has been good at home this season, but I think Texas A&M gets better play from its guards and picks up the win in a high-scoring contest.
Prediction: Texas A&M 81, Georgia 73