WHERE: Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, S.C.

WHEN: Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.

RECORDS: Georgia 15-11, 6-8; South Carolina 14-13, 5-9

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

Georgia players haven’t been immune to the conversation outside the walls of the team’s training facility regarding the current state of the Bulldog basketball program.

They’ve heard the suggestion that the program has peaked under head coach Mark Fox, that some have criticized their style of play and that the team’s recent losing streak has the Bulldogs (15-11, 6-8) doomed for another disappointing finish.

With four games left in the regular season – starting with Wednesday night’s contest at South Carolina (6:30 p.m., SEC Network) – guard Tyree Crump said the talk has added fuel to their collective fire.

With back-to-back victories over Florida and Tennessee, Georgia does seem to be playing with a different sense of urgency.

“We’re just trying to prove everybody wrong,” said Crump. “Everybody counted us out. We what, had lost six or seven games, so people have been talking Georgia this, Georgia that. We’re just trying to prove people wrong and show them we’ve still got a chance.”

With an RPI of 66 and strength of schedule rank of 45, the Bulldogs remain on the periphery of a post-season bid. However, Crump knows Georgia can’t afford many – if any - missteps before the SEC Tournament two weeks from now in St. Louis to have a legitimate opportunity.

Which begs the next question: Why did it take so long for the team to play like it has the past two games?

“If I knew the answer to that question it would have never happened,” Yante Maten said. “In all fairness, we’re just trying to play together, play defensively, try to do everything that correlates to winning.”

South Carolina coach Frank Martin – whose team is coming off a win over league leading Auburn – is impressed with what the Bulldogs have been able to do in beating Florida on the road and Tennessee last Saturday at Stegeman Coliseum.

“Teams’ seasons are coming to an end, teams have upperclassmen, upperclassmen realize the end is near, they play with a greater sense of urgency,” Martin said. “Records go out the window, especially when you take into consideration how hard this league has gotten over the last three years.”

Maten said it’s playing with a little pride.

“I think it’s more of a 'we’re a good team, let’s go prove it' situation,” he said. “That’s what we focused on, that we’ve got to start a roll and try to get on a winning streak.”

Crump agreed.

“Outside opinions don’t matter," he said. "We’ve just got to keep playing.”