# 2017–18 Georgia Bulldogs basketball team

The 2017–18 Georgia bulldogs basketball team represented the University of Georgia during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team's head coach was Mark Fox in his ninth season at UGA. They played their home games at Stegeman Coliseum as members of the Southeastern Conference. The Bulldogs finished the season 18–15, 7–11 in SEC play to finish in a tie for 11th place. As the No. 12 seed in the SEC tournament, they defeated Vanderbilt and Missouri before losing to Kentucky in the quarterfinals.
On March 10, 2018, the school fired head coach Mark Fox after nine seasons at Georgia. On March 13, the school hired former Indiana coach Tom Crean to replace Fox.

## Previous season

The Bulldogs finished the 2016–17 season 19–15, 9–9 in SEC play to finish in eighth place. They defeated Tennessee in the second round of the SEC tournament to advance to the quarterfinals where they lost to Kentucky. They were invited to the National Invitation Tournament where they lost in the First Round to Belmont.

## Offseason
### Departures

| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Reason for departure |
| Brandon Young | 14 | G | 5'10" | 160 | Senior | Atlanta, GA | Graduated |
| Houston Kessler | 24 | F | 6'8" | 230 | RS Senior | Newnan, GA | Graduated |
| Kenny Paul Geno | 25 | F | 6'6" | 210 | Senior | Booneville, MS | Graduated |
| J. J. Frazier | 30 | G | 5'10" | 155 | Senior | Gleenville, GA | Graduated |

### 2017 recruiting class

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes :
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date |
| Rayshaun Hammonds #7 SF | Norcross, GA | Norcross High School | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | Nov 10, 2016 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ||||||
| Nicolas Claxton #28 PF | Greenville, SC | Legacy Charter School | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | 285 lb (129 kg) | Nov 14, 2016 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ||||||
| Teshaun Hightower #50 PG | Suwanee, GA | Mount Zion Baptist Christian School | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | Jan 16, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ||||||
| Isaac Kante PF | Brooklyn, NY | Putnam Science Academy | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | 225 lb (102 kg) | May 2, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: N/A ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: Not Ranked Rivals: Not Ranked ESPN: Not Ranked ||||||
| Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "Georgia 2017 Basketball Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved August 30, 2017. "2017 Georgia Basketball Commits". Scout.com. Retrieved August 30, 2017. "ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 30, 2017. "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. Retrieved August 30, 2017. "2017 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved August 30, 2017. ||||||

### 2018 recruiting class

US college sports recruiting information for 2018 recruits :
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date |
| Amanze Ngumezi PF | Savannah, GA | Johnson High School | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) | 235 lb (107 kg) | Sep 3, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: N/A |||||||
| JoJo Toppin SF | Norcross, GA | Norcross High School | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | Nov 15, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: N/A |||||||
| Tye Fagan SG | Thomaston, GA | Upson-Lee High School | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | Apr 30, 2018 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: N/A |||||||
| Ignas Sargiūnas SG | Kaunas, Lithuania | Jonas Basanavicius Gymnasium | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 195 lb (88 kg) | Jun 1, 2018 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ESPN: N/A |||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: |||||||
| Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "2018 Georgia Basketball Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved October 24, 2017. "2018 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved October 24, 2017. |||||||

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Exhibition |||||||||
| Oct 29, 2017 2:00 pm | | vs. Michigan State Hurricane charity relief exhibition | L 68–80 | | 33 – Maten | 7 – Ogbeide | 4 – Tied | Van Andel Arena (10,699) Grand Rapids, MI |
| Nov 2, 2017* 7:00 pm | | Valdosta State | W 112–74 | | 24 – Maten | 11 – Hammonds | 7 – Jackson II | Stegeman Coliseum (3,752) Athens, GA |
| Regular season |||||||||
| Nov 10, 2017* 7:00 pm | | Bryant | W 79–54 | 1–0 | 21 – Maten | 12 – Maten | 3 – Wilridge | Stegeman Coliseum (7,387) Athens, GA |
| Nov 14, 2017* 7:00 pm, SECN+ | | USC Upstate | W 74–65 | 2–0 | 22 – Maten | 14 – Maten | 5 – Wilridge | Stegeman Coliseum (5,369) Athens, GA |
| Nov 19, 2017* 1:00 pm | | Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | W 68–65 | 3–0 | 19 – Maten | 13 – Maten | 4 – Jackson II | Stegeman Coliseum (6,220) Athens, GA |
| Nov 23, 2017* 10:30 pm, ESPNews | | at Cal State Fullerton Wooden Legacy quarterfinals | W 64–57 | 4–0 | 16 – Jackson II | 12 – Hammonds | 3 – Tied | Titan Gym (2,192) Fullerton, CA |
| Nov 24, 2017* 7:00 pm, ESPN2 | | vs. San Diego State Wooden Legacy | L 68–75 | 4–1 | 17 – Tied | 7 – 3 tied | 4 – Jackson II | Titan Gym (3,813) Fullerton, CA |
| Nov 26, 2017* 5:00 pm, ESPNU | | vs. No. 21 Saint Mary's Wooden Legacy | W 83–81 $^{OT}$ | 5–1 | 17 – Crump | 9 – Ogbeide | 5 – Hammonds | Honda Center (3,193) Anaheim, CA |
| Dec 2, 2017* 2:00 pm, CBSSN | | at Marquette | W 73–66 | 6–1 | 13 – Maten | 8 – Hammonds | 7 – Jackson II | BMO Harris Bradley Center (14,476) Milwaukee, WI |
| Dec 5, 2017* 7:00 pm, SECN | | Winthrop | W 87–82 | 7–1 | 25 – Maten | 11 – Maten | 7 – Jackson II | Stegeman Coliseum (6,405) Athens, GA |
| Dec 16, 2017* 3:00 pm, NBCSN | | at Massachusetts | L 62–72 | 7–2 | 20 – Maten | 9 – Maten | 5 – Jackson II | Mullins Center (4,744) Amherst, MA |
| Dec 19, 2017* 9:00 pm, ESPN2 | | Georgia Tech | W 80–59 | 8–2 | 24 – Maten | 6 – Maten | 4 – Jackson II | Stegeman Coliseum (10,048) Athens, GA |
| Dec 22, 2017* 1:00 pm, SECN | | Temple | W 84–66 | 9–2 | 30 – Maten | 12 – Maten | 4 – Jackson II | Stegeman Coliseum (10,523) Athens, GA |
| Dec 31, 2017 6:00 pm, ESPN | | at No. 16 Kentucky | L 61–66 | 9–3 (0–1) | 17 – Maten | 12 – Maten | 3 – Crump | Rupp Arena (22,862) Lexington, KY |
| Jan 3, 2018 6:30 pm, SECN | | Ole Miss | W 71–60 | 10–3 (1–1) | 18 – Parker | 11 – Parker | 5 – Jackson II | Stegeman Coliseum (7,515) Athens, GA |
| Jan 6, 2018 12:00 pm, SECN | | Alabama | W 65–46 | 11–3 (2–1) | 26 – Maten | 11 – Maten | 5 – Jackson II | Stegeman Coliseum (10,523) Athens, GA |
| Jan 10, 2018 9:00 pm, ESPN2 | | at Missouri | L 56–68 | 11–4 (2–2) | 10 – Tied | 6 – Hammonds | 2 – Tied | Mizzou Arena (15,061) Columbia, MO |
| Jan 13, 2018 1:00 pm, SECN | | South Carolina | L 57–64 | 11–5 (2–3) | 25 – Maten | 10 – Ogbeide | 2 – Jackson II | Stegeman Coliseum (9,788) Athens, GA |
| Jan 16, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPNU | | at LSU | W 61–60 | 12–5 (3–3) | 21 – Maten | 12 – Maten | 5 – Jackson II | Maravich Center (8,269) Baton Rouge, LA |
| Jan 20, 2018 6:00 pm, SECN | | at No. 17 Auburn | L 65–79 | 12–6 (3–4) | 17 – Maten | 9 – Maten | 3 – Maten | Auburn Arena (9,121) Auburn, AL |
| Jan 23, 2018 6:30 pm, SECN | | Arkansas | L 77–80 | 12–7 (3–5) | 26 – Maten | 15 – Maten | 5 – Jackson II | Stegeman Coliseum (6,405) Athens, GA |
| Jan 27, 2018* 2:00 pm, ESPNU | | at Kansas State Big 12/SEC Challenge | L 51–56 | 12–8 | 14 – Maten | 8 – Ogbeide | 4 – Jackson II | Bramlage Coliseum (10,314) Manhattan, KS |
| Jan 30, 2018 7:30 pm, SECN | | No. 23 Florida | W 72–60 | 13–8 (4–5) | 20 – Maten | 8 – Claxton | 3 – Parker | Stegeman Coliseum (8,779) Athens, GA |
| Feb 3, 2018 6:00 pm, SECN | | at Mississippi State | L 57–72 | 13–9 (4–6) | 13 – Tied | 7 – Maten | 7 – Jackson II | Humphrey Coliseum (7,775) Starkville, MS |
| Feb 7, 2018 8:30 pm, SECN | | at Vanderbilt | L 66–81 | 13–10 (4–7) | 20 – Maten | 6 – Maten | 4 – Jackson II | Memorial Gymnasium (8,761) Nashville, TN |
| Feb 10, 2018 3:30 pm, SECN | | No. 8 Auburn | L 61–78 | 13–11 (4–8) | 20 – Maten | 5 – 3 tied | 4 – Jackson II | Stegeman Coliseum (10,523) Athens, GA |
| Feb 14, 2018 9:00 pm, SECN | | at Florida | W 72–69 $^{OT}$ | 14–11 (5–8) | 23 – Maten | 10 – Tied | 5 – Crump | O'Connell Center (9,497) Gainesville, FL |
| Feb 17, 2018 6:00 pm, SECN | | No. 18 Tennessee | W 73–62 | 15–11 (6–8) | 19 – Maten | 11 – Ogbeide | 4 – Jackson II | Stegeman Coliseum (10,028) Athens, GA |
| Feb 21, 2018 6:30 pm, SECN | | at South Carolina | W 66–57 | 15–12 (6–9) | 14 – Jackson II | 10 – Maten | 3 – Jackson II | Colonial Life Arena (11,529) Columbia, SC |
| Feb 24, 2018 2:00 pm, ESPNU | | LSU | W 93–82 | 16–12 (7–9) | 27 – Maten | 11 – Maten | 8 – Jackson II | Stegeman Coliseum (9,518) Athens, GA |
| Feb 28, 2018 8:30 pm, SECN | | Texas A&M | L 60–61 | 16–13 (7–10) | 16 – Maten | 12 – Maten | 4 – Hightower | Stegeman Coliseum (6,417) Athens, GA |
| Mar 3, 2018 6:00 pm, SECN | | at No. 16 Tennessee | L 61–66 | 16–14 (7–11) | 18 – Maten | 9 – Maten | 8 – Jackson | Thompson–Boling Arena (22,237) Knoxville, TN |
| SEC Tournament |||||||||
| Mar 7, 2018 7:00 pm, SECN | (12) | vs. (13) Vanderbilt First round | W 78–62 | 17–14 | 25 – Maten | 10 – Ogbeide | 6 – Hightower | Scottrade Center (8,190) St. Louis, MO |
| Mar 8, 2018 3:30 pm, SECN | (12) | vs. (5) Missouri Second round | W 62–60 | 18–14 | 21 – Maten | 10 – Maten | 3 – Crump | Scottrade Center (15,129) St. Louis, MO |
| Mar 9, 2018 3:30 pm, ESPN | (12) | vs. (4) Kentucky Quarterfinals | L 49–62 | 18–15 | 17 – Crump | 11 – Ogbeide | 1 – Tied | Scottrade Center (16,364) St. Louis, MO |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Eastern Time. |||||||||