Georgia back for Mike White’s fifth season after a 22-win year and 2nd straight NCAA tourney berth

Mike White enters his fifth season as coach of the Bulldogs. Georgia’s second consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament ended with a 102-77 loss to Saint Louis and a first-round exit. The program has six returners in 2026, including four who ended the season as starters.

Blue Cain, Marcus “Smurf” Millender, Kanon Catchings and Kareem Stagg are back with starting experience ... Cain, a 6-foot-5 senior guard, is the team's top returning shooter, after averaging 13.1 points per game last season. He also had a second-best 5.1 rebounds per game. ... Millender, in his first year at Georgia after stints at South Alabama and UTSA, played in all 33 games and averaged a team-high 4.1 assists per game and 12 points per game. ... Ole Miss transfer James Scott is expected to fill the vacancy at center.

Georgia lost its leading shooter, Jeremiah Wilkinson, to Arkansas. Starting center Somto Cyril transferred to Miami. Guard Jordan Ross and forward Jake Wilkins both transferred to Cal, Dylan James departed for George Washington, and center Jackson McVey left for Georgia Tech.

The Bulldogs brought in guard Freddie Dilione from Penn State, center James Scott from Ole Miss, Saint Louis forward Brady Dunlap and St. Bonaventure center Andrew Osauyi via the transfer portal.

The Bulldogs also welcomed four international players: Center David Ugonna Ike, forward Mading Kuany, combo guard Donovan Williams Jr. and center Hakeem Weems.

The Bulldogs will travel for several marquee nonconference matchups, visiting North Carolina on Nov. 13 and in-state foe Georgia Tech on Nov. 20 before facing Duke at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 8.

Key conference matchups include hosting Texas on Jan. 5, Florida on Jan. 23 and Kentucky on Feb. 16. Georgia travels to Ole Miss on Jan. 2, Auburn on Jan. 9, Tennessee on Feb. 3 and Alabama on Mar. 3.

Georgia’s 22 regular-season wins last season set a school record and marked the third straight year that the Bulldogs reached 20 wins. ... Georgia’s two consecutive March Madness bids were the program’s first since 2001 and 2002. ... Georgia averaged 89.4 points per game last season, ranking fifth nationally and 5.7 points above their previous high of 82.7 in 1990.

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