Georgia vs Gonzaga: How Georgia Can Win in First Round of NCAA Tournament

How the Georgia Bulldogs can pull out a win in the first round of the NCAA tournament vs Gonzaga.

Mar 19, 2025; Wichita, KS, USA; Georgia Bulldogs coach Mike White at press conference at Intrust Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

How the Georgia Bulldogs can pull out a win in the first round of the NCAA tournament vs Gonzaga.

After a much improved season, the Georgia Bulldogs were selected to “Go Dancing” in one of the most exciting tournaments sports has to offer: March Madness. Selected as the ninth seed in the Midwest Region, the Dawgs are slated to take on the number eight seed Gonzaga Bulldogs.

The Zags are a tournament staple and are heavy favorites over the Dawgs and have given them an overwhelming 71% chance to win. The Dawgs have struggled at times this season despite coming out of the gate hot, but have proven to be a challenge for anyone. Just weeks ago, they upset the number one seed Florida Gators. If the Dawgs want to pull off another upset, here is what they will have to do.

Win In Transition:

The Zags are similar to Florida; a lightning fast team that moves the ball around and pushes the tempo. They have a high scoring attack, averaging the third most points per game at 86.6 points per game. They also are second nationally in assists per game and are top-15 in fastbreak points per game. Against the Gators, the Dawgs got out to a big lead, but once they began to push the floor in the second half, the Gators retook a late lead before it fizzled out from some heroics from the Dawgs. If the Dawgs struggle to make the Zags live in their halfcourt sets, it could be a long night. Luckily, the Dawgs have one of the best scoring defenses in the SEC and feel they are up to the task of slowing the Zags down.

Asa Newell outplaying Graham Ike:

The unquestioned star player for the Dawgs this season has been freshman forward Asa Newell. A product of the illustrious Montverde Academy, Newell has been a mismatch downlow, as well as being able to stretch out a defense with ability to be a three-point shooting threat. The star freshman, who is a staple in the first round in 2025 mock drafts, leads the Dawgs in points and rebounds per game, while converting his buckets at an efficient 54%. However, he will be going against a worthy adversary in Graham Ike, a senior forward who also leads the Zags in points and rebounds per game. At 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds, the Zags leader is a bruiser down low and is able to overpower weaker defenders and score at a high rate, as he is shooting nearly 60% from the field, which ranks in the top-20 nationally. For Newell, he has to be ready for this primetime individual matchup. Being able to move around the floor and score from all levels, Newell has the chance to move Ike around the floor and create a defensive matchup that he may not be used to. If Newell allows Ike to be comfortable defensively and dominate down low, the Dawgs will have a tough time slowing down the Zags offense. 

Cutting down turnovers:

Going against an offensive powerhouse like Gonzaga decimates the margin of error for the Dawgs. One of the stories of their season is the turnovers. The Dawgs average the second most turnovers in the SEC and have been the deciding factor in several games. Even worse, they are the fourth worst scoring team in the conference, which does not give them the opportunity to overcome their high number of turnovers. As mentioned before, the Zags are very productive on the fastbreak and are able to run up the score quickly. The Zags also are top-20 nationally in turnover margin, so they are not prone to making mistakes as quickly as they force them. If the Dawgs are able to minimize their blunders, they will give themselves the best shot to pull off the upset.

Coach Mike White and the Dawgs are set to tip off at 4:35 PM eastern time on TBS.

Other Georgia News:

• Georgia Bulldogs Look to Continue Impressive Streak in 2025 Season Opener 
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• Former Georgia Safety Has Humorous Reaction to Bulldogs' Offseason Training

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