Just 66 hours after a gut-wrenching overtime loss to Ole Miss, Georgia basketball is back on the floor at Stegeman Coliseum, looking to bounce back against a heavyweight: No. 17 Arkansas. The Bulldogs, ranked No. 22, are hoping to shake off the sting of Wednesday night’s 97-95 loss, a game that saw them lose a four-point lead in the final minute of regulation and ultimately fall on a buzzer-beater.
Defensively, Georgia had a rough night, allowing Ole Miss to shoot 51.4% from the field - a number that simply won’t cut it in SEC play, especially against a team as explosive as Arkansas.
“Well, I hope it doesn’t linger,” head coach Mike White said after the loss. “We’ll try to consolidate as much as possible because we’ve got to move on to the next guy… who’s really good.
As you challenge your guys, you’d hope they’d embrace some type of collective frustration. All of us should be frustrated.”
That frustration needs to turn into fuel - and fast. Saturday’s matchup with Arkansas isn’t just another game. It marks Georgia’s first test this season against a ranked opponent, making them the last team in the SEC to face a top-25 squad in either the AP or Coaches poll.
Georgia enters the game at 14-3 overall and 2-2 in SEC play. Arkansas, sitting at 13-4 (3-1 SEC), has already been through the fire, having faced six ranked teams this season. They’re currently part of a five-way tie atop the conference standings and come in with momentum after a dominant 108-74 win over South Carolina.
That win showcased the Razorbacks' dangerous backcourt, led by a pair of electric freshmen. Darius Acuff Jr., a 6-foot-3 guard out of Detroit, dropped 18 points and dished out 13 assists in that blowout.
He’s averaging 19.8 points per game and plays with the poise of a veteran. Alongside him is Meleek Thomas, a 6-foot-5 product of Overtime Elite, who brings scoring punch (15.7 ppg) and range (45 made threes) to an already athletic Arkansas squad.
“Really athletic, really fast,” White said of Arkansas. “They’re coming on here Saturday and we can’t anticipate turning them over 25 times.
It’s just not happening. Great on the offensive glass.
Can really move laterally, they’re really switchable. They’re one of the most athletic teams in the country with length and speed.”
Translation: Georgia’s defense will need to be significantly sharper than it was against Ole Miss.
On the offensive side, the Bulldogs have their own firepower, led by Jeremiah Wilkinson. The sophomore guard is averaging 17.8 points per game, good for seventh in the SEC. He’s been the steady hand in Georgia’s backcourt, capable of creating his own shot and stretching defenses with his shooting.
Georgia will roll with its usual starting five: Jordan Ross, Blue Cain, and Wilkinson at guard, Kanon Catchings at forward, and Somto Cyril anchoring the middle. The SEC Availability Report lists no injuries for the Bulldogs, so Mike White will have his full rotation available - a luxury this deep into the season.
Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. ET at Stegeman Coliseum, with the game airing on ESPN2.
It’s a big one - not just for the standings, but for Georgia’s identity. After a red-hot start to the year, the Bulldogs are looking to prove they can hang with the SEC’s elite.
Here’s a look at Georgia’s 2025-2026 season so far and what’s ahead:
2025-26 Georgia Basketball Results
- Oct.
15: Georgia 61, Georgia State 61 (exhibition)
- Oct.
26: Georgia 81, Troy 65 (exhibition)
- Nov.
3: Georgia 104, Bellarmine 59
- Nov.
5: Georgia 94, Maryland Eastern-Shore 29
- Nov.
9: Georgia 120, Morehead State 81
- Nov.
14: Georgia 92, Georgia Tech 87
- Nov.
17: Georgia 87, Florida A&M 57
- Nov.
21: Georgia 78, Xavier 77 (Charleston Classic)
- Nov.
23: Clemson 97, Georgia 94 (OT, Charleston Classic)
- Nov.
29: Georgia 123, Tennessee Tech 81
- Dec.
2: Georgia 107, Florida State 73 (ACC/SEC Challenge)
- Dec.
2: Georgia 84, Cincinnati 65 (Atlanta)
- Dec.
18: Georgia 102, Western Carolina 82
- Dec.
22: Georgia 103, West Georgia 74
- Dec.
29: Georgia 89, Long Island 74
- Jan.
3: Georgia 104, Auburn 100
- Jan.
6: Florida 92, Georgia 77
- Jan.
10: Georgia 75, South Carolina 70
- Jan.
14: Ole Miss 97, Georgia 95 (OT)
Upcoming Games
- Jan. 17: vs.
Arkansas, 4 p.m. (ESPN2)
- Jan. 20: at Missouri, 9 p.m. (SEC Network)
- Jan. 24: at Texas, 1 p.m. (SEC Network)
- Jan. 27: vs. Tennessee, 7 p.m.
(SEC Network)
- Jan. 31: vs.
Texas A&M, 1 p.m. (SEC Network)
- Feb. 7: at LSU, 6 p.m. (SEC Network)
- Feb. 11: vs. Florida, 7 p.m.
(ESPN2/ESPNU)
- Feb. 14: at Oklahoma, 3:30 p.m.
(SEC Network)
- Feb. 17: at Kentucky, 9 p.m.
(ESPN/ESPN2)
- Feb. 21: vs.
Texas, 3:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
- Feb. 25: at Vanderbilt, 7 p.m. (SEC Network)
- Feb. 28: vs. South Carolina, 3:30 p.m.
(SEC Network)
The road ahead won’t be easy, but Saturday offers a golden opportunity. Beat Arkansas, and Georgia not only gets back on track - they send a message to the rest of the SEC: this team is for real.