What: Morehouse at Georgia (exhibition)

WHERE: Stegeman Coliseum

WHEN: Friday, 7 p.m.

With so many young faces and newcomers on this year’s Georgia basketball team, graduate P.J. Horne was expected to play an integral role.

That changed when Horne suffered a season-ending ACL injury last month, leaving head coach Tom Crean with the predicament of not just replacing what he was going to provide on the court, but his experience as well.

The Bulldogs host Morehouse Friday (7 p.m.) in an exhibition game before opening the regular season on Tuesday against Florida International.

At 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds, Horne was Georgia’s top-returning three-point shooter (46 three-pointers) and most experienced player, having played in 115 career games between last year’s tenure in Athens and his three years at Virginia Tech.

“You’re not going to replace him in the presence that he brought as a guy who'd been in the highest level of college basketball for a number of years,” head coach Tom Crean said. “He was playing his best, he’s played. He was such a matchup problem for people. There were days at practice I was playing him as a backup point guard.

“We were really moving him around to utilize his skill set. We’re going to miss that. We’re going to miss the fact that he knew what to do. We feel for him, because he was playing so well. I just want him to recover and get through the rehab every day, the best he can.”

Finding players to replace his play and production now becomes a focus.

According to Crean, one name he’ll be counting on is FAU transfer Jailyn Ingram, who at 6-7 and 225 is a similar size to Horne and last year averaged 10.9 points and 5.2 rebounds with FIU.

Junior college transfer Dalen Ridgnal (6-7, 200) is another possibility, but per Crean is still not 100 percent.

“He did not play all summer, because of a knee injury he had after his junior college year. But then he injured his ankle. So, he’s still not 100 percent,” said Crean.

Freshman Tyrone Baker (6-11, 210) is another possibility.

“Those three guys will have to pick up the slack,” said Crean, who also is optimistic for transfer Braelen Bridges.

At 6-11 and 240 pounds, Crean likes what he’s seen from the Atlanta native and former University of Illinois-Chicago player, who averaged 8.9 points and 4.9 boards last year.

“He’s got a chance to be the best low post player and best passing big outside of Nic Claxton,” Crean said. “He’s not like Nic in the way he can guard people and drive it like that, but as far as a post-up player and a guy who can pass the ball, he can really do that.”