23. Georgia (9-1)
As November drew to a close, Georgia had put together a pretty decent month, albeit without much that really jumped off the page. The Bulldogs are looking for a return trip to the Big Dance, though their best early win was over Xavier in a close battle. The loss to Clemson in overtime is certainly forgivable and the recent play has been better, dating back to last week’s blowout win at Florida State.
This week in Atlanta this team got another notable victory, winning 84-65 on Saturday afternoon against Cincinnati. The usual suspects played brilliantly, as Blue Cain had 22 points and Jeremiah Wilkinson added 17 in the victory over the Bearcats. It was another game where Georgia shot poorly from outside the arc but that interior attack was more than enough to deliver the win.
Georgia still isn’t a team on many people’s radar and it’s very understandable. They shed a few talented pieces from that Tourney team and haven’t really beaten anyone major this year. Still, the metrics love their early work on offense even without consistent 3-point shooting, and they are starting to stockpile wins over power conference foes. No chances to prove themselves await until after the New Year, as Georgia hosts Western Carolina next.