Georgia will try to start its trip to the Cayman Islands with a win when it takes on Illinois State on Monday afternoon.
The Bulldogs are 2-1 thus far this season with victories over Savannah State and Sam Houston State while losing at Temple.
Meanwhile, the Redbirds are also 2-1 and most recently captured a 75-71 win over Chicago State.
Let’s run through what to watch for in this matchup.
Game Details
- Georgia (2-1) vs. Illinois State (2-1)
- Location: John Gray Gymnasium – George Town, Cayman Islands
- Game Date: Nov. 19
- Game Time: 1:30 p.m. EST
- Watch: Stadium
Players to Watch
Nic Claxton (Georgia)
I mentioned in the preseason that Claxton was a breakout candidate this season, and sure enough, he’s delivered through the first three games.
The 6-11 sophomore is averaging 11.7 points. 8.0 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game, with his size and versatility presenting some difficult challenges for the opposition.
Tyree Crump (Georgia)
Crump has dealt with consistency issues over the past several years, but he’s off to a really good start in the ’18-19 campaign.
He has scored in double figures in every game this season while playing 20.7 minutes per contest.
The 6-1 junior is the team’s best 3-point shooter, and if he can keep making shots at his current rate (41.7 percent from beyond the arc), he’s going to provide great value for Tom Crean and company this year.
Milik Yarbrough (Illinois State)
Yarbrough fills the stat sheet more than any other player on the Illinois State roster, as evidenced by 16.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists thus far this season.
He’s coming off a performance of 24 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists against Chicago State, so he’ll have plenty of confidence entering this one.
Key Stats
Taking care of the ball hasn’t been a huge issue for Illinois State (48th nationally in turnover percentage), but the same can’t be said for Georgia, who ranks 295th nationally in that category.
There will also be a difference in size and experience in this particular matchup.
The Bulldogs rank 32nd in the country in average height, and the Redbirds are a bit further behind at 202nd nationally.
As far as experience goes, Illinois State is a veteran group that relies on a lot of seniors while Georgia leans on a mixture of younger players and upperclassmen.
Game Outlook
- Spread: Georgia -2.5
- Over/Under: 145
- KenPom Projection: Georgia, 53 percent chance to win
- ESPN BPI Projection: Georgia, 57.8 percent chance to win
A lot of people expected more of the Redbirds early on in the season, with the struggles against Chicago State and giving up 100 points at Belmont both causing some concerns.
Crean is still in the rebuilding phase with this Georgia program, but he has a few players that are stepping up early on in his first year.
The experience edge is something that’s typically pretty valuable in these non-conference tournaments, and Illinois State may be able to use that to its advantage.
However, the Bulldogs seem to be responding well to Crean’s new up-tempo style, and that should pay off in this type of game where both teams want to run the floor.
I’ll lean towards Georgia, even if the reliance on several underclassmen like Claxton, Teshaun Hightower, and Rayshaun Hammonds worries me a little against an experienced Illinois State squad.
Season Prediction Record (straight up): 36-8
Game Prediction: Georgia 75, Illinois State 73
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