ATHENS — Georgia knocked out yet another basketball school on Sunday, advancing to the NIT quarterfinals.
The Bulldogs -- a nine-point underdog -- built a 19-point lead on traditional ACC power Wake Forest en route to knocking out the Demon Deacons by a 72-66 count in Winston-Salem.
“Let’s go do the same thing to Ohio State,” a joyful Mike White said on his postgame radio interview, his program improving to 19-16 with its fifth road win of the season over a Power 5 opponent.
“We’re going to be in Columbus anyway, might as well compete.”
Georgia and Ohio State bring football schools to mind, the teams meeting in a memorable CFP Peach Bowl showdown in 2022 that was decided by a missed field goal.
Both teams will be attempting field goals of a different nature at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, with plenty of Buckeyes’ fans sure to still be seeing red at the thought of beating any Georgia sports program.
It will be only the second time the programs have met, with UGA winning the only other meeting by an 84-80 count in Louisville, Ky., in the 1977-78 season.
The Bulldogs were a 9-point underdog to Wake Forest on Sunday with both teams missing key players.
Georgia was missing 7-foot, 280-pound starting center Russel Tchewa, the team’s leading rebounder, while the Demon Deacons were missing starting guard and leading scorer Hunter Sallis.
Wake Forest took full advantage by outscoring UGA 40-12 in the paint, but Georgia compensated with red-hot 3-point shooting, canning 14 of 27 (51.9 percent).
“This is a big win for our program,” White said. “To go on the road, it’s our fifth road win versus Powers 5s this year, so that’s progress for this program.”
It’s only the second time Wake Forest has lost a home game this season, and it took a lot of poise from the Georgia players to get it done against the crowd and the Demon Deacons pressing defense.
Georgia made 13 of 15 free throws in the second half, holding off the Wake Forest charge.
“The NIT is a unique situation, we all want to be in that other tournament,” White said, referring to the NCAA tournament.
“But we’re honored to be here. Our guys exemplify that …. I’ve liked our spirit in the shoot around the last couple of days.”