When Blue Cain, Silas Demary Jr., and Dylan James decided to return to Georgia for their sophomore seasons, the opportunity to play in the NCAA Tournament was one of the top reasons they did so.
Although it appeared unlikely after dropping nine of 11 conference games, including a pair of four-game losing streaks, the Bulldogs finished the season strong, earning the program’s first trip to March Madness since 2015.
“We’re blessed and excited, but we’re also ready to get back to work,” said Cain, who, along with the rest of the Bulldogs, will now prepare for Thursday’s first-round game against Gonzaga (25-8).
Tip-off is set for 4:35 p.m. ET Thursday on TBS.
The team, program boosters, and media watched Sunday’s selection show from the Taylor Room at the UGA Basketball Facility.
Bracketologist Joe Lunardi of ESPN had predicted the Bulldogs (20-12) would be picked as the ninth seed for the Midwest Regional.
When Gonzaga’s name appeared, players and fans held their college breath. The room exploded when Georgia’s name was shown as the opponent. The winner of Gonzaga-Georgia will face the winner of No. 1 seed Houston versus SIU-Edwardsville on Saturday.
“We were nervous, obviously, just to see where we were going to land. I know there were a couple of spots we were saying maybe like Raleigh,” Demary Jr. “I was hoping to play in Raleigh because I'm from there, but I'm grateful to just be able to still be playing. I think a lot of us got nervous and just probably more so anxious than nervous. But just to be able to go play … we’re ready to get back to work.”
Georgia will practice in Athens on Monday before flying to Wichita on Tuesday. The team will practice at Intrust Bank Arena on Wednesday.
“We’ve got a tough-minded group, and we've got a group that, as we know, is incredibly resilient and connected, and we'll gain that experience on the fly, you know, against a power program, you know, a program we have a lot of respect for,” head coach Mike White said. “But we'll be prepared. We're excited for the opportunity.”
Cain could not agree more.
“The SEC tournament didn't necessarily go how we wanted it to,” Cain said. “But it was like this, whenever we came back, it was really, let's get back to our identity of just being hungry again. We had a good practice yesterday, just competing.”
Demary Jr. said the Bulldogs will have no trouble getting back to their identity following Wednesday’s 81-75 loss to Oklahoma in the SEC Tournament.
“Yeah, pretty much what Blue was saying, just getting back to our main identity, playing hard, showing effort, following the details,” Demary Jr. said. “Pretty much all the little things that we've done to get here. Just trying to hone in on those and just be solid.”
Demary confirmed that little was said about making this year’s NCAA Tournament; it was always the goal long before they stepped foot on campus in Athens.
“I think that's a lot of high school guys doing what they do, committing to schools together like me and Blue when we played against each other on the Auburn circuit. You talk about playing in the NCAA Tournament,” Demary Jr. said. “That was a big goal for us, including Dylan. Dylan definitely talked about going to the tournament. So, that was a big part of us, and just to be able to build it and be one of the main parts of it is a blessing.”
It was also part of the conversation for players like All-SEC freshman Asa Newell, and the five transfers who joined the Bulldogs from other schools.
“I would definitely say it was a big part of the pitch,” Demary Jr. said. “You know, talking to Tyron (Lawrence) and Dakota (Leffew), telling those guys … we wanted to bring guys that want to win and be selfless, and I think those two guys, especially them being senior guys, being able to be selfless, because like this is their last year. They can be like, ‘Man, I just want to get my numbers and look good,’ but they bought in. We’re appreciative of that.”
