Georgia basketball will begin its NCAA Tournament run in the cold confines of Buffalo, New York.

The Bulldogs earned a No. 8 seed in the bracket, the NCAA announced Sunday. Georgia will face St. Louis on Thursday in the first round, alongside top-seeded Michigan and either UMBC or Howard.

It marks the first time Georgia earned a bid in consecutive years since 2002.

The Bulldogs, who won a program-record 22 games during the regular season, have not advanced past the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 24 years. They have only made it to the second round in four of their 13 appearances, two of which were later vacated.

Georgia has never won a national championship, a statistic it looks to change this year.

The Bulldogs earned their bid with a strong finish in conference play. They won five of their final six SEC matchups, including against formerly No. 17 Alabama.

Georgia has never faced St. Louis in the postseason but holds a 2-2 record against the Billikens in the regular season. The Bulldogs last faced them in 2010, earning a 61-59 victory on the road.