LSU at Georgia

WHERE: Stegeman Coliseum

WHEN: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

RECORDS: Georgia 13-9 overall, 6-9 in SEC; LSU 14-6, 9-4

TV/RADIO: SEC Network (Tom Hart, Jon Sunvold); Georgia Bulldog Radio Network (Scott Howard, Chuck Dowdle, Adam Gillespie)

Pertha Robinson holds the Georgia single-season record for assists, and he's held it for the past 26 years. That's about to change.

As Georgia gets ready to entertain LSU Tuesday night at Stegeman Coliseum (7 p.m., SEC Network), sophomore guard Sahvir Wheeler is inching ever so closer to etching his name in the Bulldog record book.

The native of Houston, Texas, needs just 17 more assists to tie Robinson’s career mark of 169, and with at least three games remaining to play, counting next week’s SEC Tournament in Nashville—chances are, the Bulldog record book will require a new edit soon.

“I’ve been breaking assist records for as long as I can remember. I’m just glad I can do it here at Georgia,” Wheeler said. “Most of that credit goes to my teammates; those are the guys who are making me look good; those are the guys who are making the shots. So that’s as much a credit to them as it is to me.

“If I break it, cool. If I don't, I've always got next year. But I’m just trying to stay in the moment, as far as trying to win games for us.”

Currently, Wheeler’s 152 assists have him tied with Donald Hartry for No. 4 on Georgia’s all-time list. And he needs just two to move into second place behind Rashad Wright (153) and Sundiata Gaines (154).

“I’ve never played with a point guard who can control the ball or control the game so well,” teammate Justin Kier said. “He’s just getting started. He's going to be way better than he is right now, and he's great right now. He’s young, he’s a leader, and he’s a great friend.”

He's also become a better scorer.

Wheeler’s 27-point effort in last Saturday’s seven-point loss at Florida established a new career-high, which propelled him to the top of the list on the team in points per game at 14.1.

“I’ve been more patient. That's one thing I’ve been working on, knowing I’m the fastest guy and the other teams probably know that,” Wheeler said. “I’ve been playing at a 50-75 range to where I can use that quick burst. So, I’ve been taking my time when I’m in transition, and I think I’m reading the game a lot better.”

Head coach Tom Crean said Wheeler is quickly becoming one of the best point guards he's ever coached.

“Sahvir is going to be in that conversation—there’s no doubt about it. Sahvir is fantastic, and he’s getting better and better,” Crean said. “He’s improved immensely since he’s been here, and he’s improved immensely this season, really since league play started.

“I love what he’s growing into, and I fully believe he'll be one of the marquee guards in the country moving forward. I also truly believe he’s going to play at the next level in the NBA when that times comes, too.”

Wheeler, who patterns his game after the likes of Kenny Anderson, Damon Stoudamire, and Brandon Jennings, credits much of his emergence as an offensive threat to the simple fact the Bulldogs no longer have the likes of Anthony Edwards and Rayshaun Hammonds on the team.

“I think I’ve always been a pretty good scorer. Last year, we had some guys who were pretty good scorers with Ant (Edwards), Rayshaun, and Jordan Harris,” Wheeler said. “It wasn’t my role to be the primary scorer. This year, with those guys leaving, my scoring had to step up. Over this year, I have just tried to work on my efficiency, being more efficient, picking and choosing my spots and getting to the free throw line because those are the easiest points.

Crean said Wheeler is also improving in other ways.

“Do a lot of things have to happen between now and then? Absolutely,” Crean said. “But that’s the way it is with all players. They've got to get better. But his attitude and desire to get better, the way he's growing as a leader, the way he's growing defensively, his ability to play with speed to find people, his improvement as a shooter and scorer all the time—those things lead me to believe he’s going to continue to get better and better.”

Crean said graduate Andrew Garcia continues to improve following surgery on his nose a week ago, but still isn't 100 percent.

“The rods that had been placed in his nose during the surgery he had the other day were removed today, so we knew he was cleared to play on Saturday, but we also knew that he was uncomfortable, and unfortunately he took a couple hits there," Crean said of Garcia, who is averaging 9.4 points and 4 rebounds off the bench.

A transfer from Stony Brook, Garcia was only able to play six minutes in Saturday's loss to Florida.

"Hopefully he will feel much better, and the mask will continue to protect him, and hopefully he’ll start to really regroup to the point where he feels comfortable, because we certainly miss not having him anywhere near to 100 percent the other day," Crean said. "There’s no doubt about that.”

Georgia hosts South Carolina on Saturday at 1 in what will be the Bulldogs' regular-season finale before next week's SEC Tournament.