Georgia Basketball: Early 2015-16 Outlook

By Taylor Sturm
UGA Hoops
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The hardest working player in college basketball will no longer be a part of the Georgia Bulldogs, as Nemanja Djurisic finished his senior season with the team. However, this Bulldogs’ team that was so unluckily matched with the Michigan State Spartans in their opening game of the 2015 NCAA Tournament will once again compete for a top-five spot in the SEC and a trip to the Big Dance.

Last season, the teams expected stars never really showed up. Instead of having two or three players consistently go for big numbers, Georgia had five players average between 9.5 and 12 points. Three of these players will be back next season, giving the Bulldogs one of the best guard trios in the nation.

Kenny Gaines, Charles Mann and J.J. Frazier have the potential to dominate opponents next season. Mark Fox is an underrated head coach who will have his team firing on all cylinders and who will understand that feeding these three players the ball will translate to wins.

However, the team’s distinct lack of big men has to concern fans. Gaines, Mann and Frazier are very good rebounders for guards, but the team’s two leading rebounders are gone. Yante Maten must step up, or this team will struggle.

The good news for Georgia fans is that Maten showed flashes of being an extremely capable player last season. The Bulldogs should compete in the SEC and, more importantly, make the 2016 NCAA Tournament. Hopefully they will not be paired with an angry, underseeded Tom Izzo-coached team next time.

Taylor Sturm is a Featured Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TSturmRS, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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