WHEN: Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: Stegeman Coliseum

RECORDS: Georgia 12-11, 2-8 in SEC; South Carolina 14-9, 6-4 in the SEC

TV/RADIO: SEC Network (Mike Morgan, Jon Sunvold); Georgia Bulldog Sports Network Flagship: WSB AM 750 Atlanta. XM: 374; Internet: 374. (Scott Howard, play-by-play; Chuck Dowdle, analyst; Adam Gillespie, producer)

Anthony Edwards continues to get most of the attention when people discuss the Georgia basketball team. But fellow freshman Sahvir Wheeler may be opening even more eyes.

While most are aware that Edwards continues to be the nation’s top-scoring freshman at 19.7 games, there’s a good chance Wheeler may break a first-year Bulldog mark that’s stood for 31 years, before his season is all said and done.

With eight assists in Saturday’s 105-102 overtime loss to Alabama, Wheeler became the first Georgia freshman with more than 100 assists in over a decade since Dustin Ware in 2008-09.

That’s not all.

Should he equal the eight assists he posted against the Crimson Tide in Wednesday night’s game against South Carolina (6:30 p.m., SEC Network), Wheeler would tie Ware’s season total of 108, which is second all-time for a freshman behind Litterial Green. set in 1989.

“I guess that’s a big deal,” Wheeler said Tuesday. “I’m thankful to God for the blessing, but that’s always been part of my game, making everyone better. Fortunately, I’ve got players that can make that part of my game easy by making shots. I know it’s 100 assists, but I’d rather have a few more wins than 100 assists.”

For those wondering, Wheeler has a shot at that, too. Green dished out 133 assists his freshman season, meaning Wheeler would need to average 3.6 assists over Georgia’s nine remaining games (not counting additional postseason) to tie.

He’s on pace to do exactly that.

Wheeler’s average of 4.5 assists per game is better than any freshman has ever contributed for the Bulldogs. Pertha Robinson holds the all-time Georgia single-season mark for assists with 169 set in 1995.

“Sahvir is getting better all the time and he plays with great speed. He can make a lot of things happen and we need more from him on the defensive end,” head coach Tom Crean said. “But the bottom line is, he changes the dynamic of the game. He’s an infectious player, an infectious personality, moves the ball extremely well, is getting better as a shooter, can get to the basket and create a lot of energy.”

He’s also becoming a better scorer.

With Edwards battling the effects of the flu, Wheeler stepped up and scored a career-best 24 points, to go along with eight assists in Saturday’s overtime loss to Alabama.

“I told him before the game I was sick, so he had to go crazy, and that's what he did. He told me he'd take care of the offensive part,” Edwards said. “I would take care of the rebounding, so when I got the ball, I'd get it to him. That's what I did, and he took it over.”

According to Wheeler, Saturday’s performance was just another example of him becoming more comfortable on the floor.

"Just trusting myself a little more, my teammates empowering me, and the coaching staff empowering me,” Wheeler said. “Seeing results in the gym pay off as well is cool to see.”

South Carolina arrives in Athens at 14-9 overall and 6-4 in SEC play. The Gamecocks opened league action with a pair of losses, but have rallied to win six of their last eight outings.

A. J. Lawson and Maik Kotsar are the only Gamecocks to start all 23 games to date. Lawson leads three double-digit scorers for Carolina at 13.7 ppg, while Kotsar is the team‘s top rebounder at 6.5 rpg

Anthony Dasher

The Bulldogs have struggled against bigger teams. South Carolina, with 260-pound Alzono Frink and 6-foot-11, 270-pound Mark Kotsar, will certainly provide the challenge. Georgia is coming off a tough overtime loss to Alabama, losing 105-102. Scoring won't be as easy against a Frank Martin squad known for its defense, but we'll go out on a limb and say the Bulldogs find a way. Prediction: Georgia 68, South Carolina 62.

Dan McDonald

South Carolina is coming into this game winning four of their last five, with three of those victories by 20 points or more. The Gamecocks have also won two of their last four on the road, and have scored more points recently than the usual low-scoring fistfights Frank Martin’s teams are known for. I’m hesitant to do this, but I think South Carolina steals one in Athens here, winning close behind the talented backcourt of A. J. Lawson and Jermaine Cousinard. Prediction: South Carolina 74, Georgia 70.