ATHENS — The Mike White Era of Georgia basketball will open with eight of the first 13 games at home at Stegeman Coliseum.

The Bulldogs will open the season on Nov. 7 against Western Carolina in Athens before a daunting trip to Winston-Salem, N.C., where UGA will face Wake Forest on Friday, Nov. 11.

The road game with the Demon Deacons — who will return the home-and-home with Georgia next season — is one of the marquee games on the schedule.

The other early season match-up that could draw attention is also being played out of Athens when Georgia plays Notre Dame in Atlanta on Sunday, Dec. 18.

White, looking to build momentum, has put together a favorable schedule that should lead to plenty of wins, even if the team RPI might not be the best.

Fans will get their first look at White’s version of Georgia basketball with an Oct. 31 exhibition game against Georgia College before the season launches.

Georgia’s 18-game conference schedule will be released at a later date.

Kario Oquendo returns to lead the Bulldogs’ offensive attack after leading the league in scoring in SEC games at an 18.3 points-per-game clip.

Braelen Bridges also returns after being the first UGA player to lead the SEC in field goal percentage since 1980.

Oquendo, Bridges and fellow returnees Jabri Abdur-Rahim, Jaxon Etter and Jailyn Ingram accounted for more than 60 percent of Georgia’s offensive production last season.

Georgia’s new players include Syracuse transfer Frank Anselem along with former Florida Southwestern junior college star Terry Roberts.

Georgia also features Top 100-ranked incoming freshman KyeRon Lindsay.

Georgia non-conference schedule:

(Home games in bold)

Oct. 31 (exhibition) Georgia College

Nov. 7 Western Carolina

Nov. 11 at Wake Forest

Nov. 14 Miami (Ohio)

Nov. 18 Bucknell

Nov. 21 St. Joseph’s (Daytona Beach)

Nov. 22 South Fla./UAB (Daytona Beach)

Nov. 27 East Tennessee State

Nov. 30 Hampton

Dec. 6 at Georgia Tech

Dec. 18 vs. Notre Dame (Atlanta)

Dec. 21 Chattanooga

Dec. 30 Rider