Georgia basketball vs. Gonzaga scouting report

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The Georgia Bulldogs made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015. As the 9th seed in the Midwest Region, they will be playing against the 8th seed Gonzaga Bulldogs, who have had a lot of March Madness success in recent years. In fact, Gonzaga has made nine straight Sweet Sixteen appearances.

There have been many predictions for the Gonzaga-Georgia game already. Most experts think that Gonzaga will beat Georgia, but nine seeds have been winning two-thirds of the time against eight seeds in recent years. The starting lineups and benches for both squads differ significantly, so here is an in-depth look at both.

1: Silas Demary Jr. vs. Ryan Nembhard​

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There are some key differences in the point guard role for Georgia and Gonzaga. First off, Demary (6-foot-5) stands much taller than Nembhard (6-foot). Secondly, Demary is a driving point guard looking to finish around the rim.

Meanwhile, Nembhard is more of a facilitator, with 9.8 assists, leading the NCAA. Demary's defensive instincts vs. Nembhard's full-court vision will be one of the major matchups Georgia is looking to win.

Per Game Stats:

Silas Demary Jr.: 13.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.2 blocks, 2.3 turnovers, 40.4/37.6/80.5 (FG%/3PT%/FT%)

Ryan Nembhard: 10.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 9.8 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.1 blocks, 2.3 turnovers, 44.4/39.3/76.5 (FG%/3PT%/FT%)

2: Blue Cain vs. Nolan Hickman​

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Georgia also has a massive advantage at the second spot in their lineup. Blue Cain stands at 6-foot-5, three inches taller than Nolan Hickman. Cain is extremely talented at drawing fouls and pulling up off balance. His 86% free throw percentage is among the best in the league. Hickman, meanwhile, is an excellent shooter, especially from three, where he boasts a three-point shooting percentage of 43.5%.

Per Game Stats:

Blue Cain: 9.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.0 blocks, 1.3 turnovers, 41.8/33.8/86.2 (FG%/3PT%/FT%)

Nolan Hickman: 11.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.3 blocks, 0.9 turnovers, 47.5/43.6/92.3 (FG%/3PT%/FT%)

3: Dylan James vs. Khalif Battle​

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James vs. Battle gives Georgia another huge height advantage. James stands at 6-foot-9, while Battle is a guard at 6-foot-5. Regardless, Gonzaga likes going with a smaller lineup. James was seldom used until later in the season, but he's a solid three-point shooter who shows great defensive instincts. It showed in the game against South Carolina, when he earned two steals and blocked two shots.

Battle, meanwhile, has been a plus scorer in several stops before transferring to Gonzaga for his senior season. He's a super efficient free throw shooter and a great secondary scoring option for Gonzaga.

Per Game Stats:

Dylan James: 3.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.5 blocks, 0.6 turnovers, 48.3/43.5/52.0 (FG%/3PT%/FT%)

Khalif Battle: 13.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.1 blocks, 1.4 turnovers, 43.6/33.3/92.9 (FG%/3PT%/FT%)

4: RJ Godfrey vs. Ben Gregg​

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Godfrey is a junior power forward that transferred from Clemson, and he's a worthwhile piece of Georgia's starting lineup. He is a capable defender with solid strength to contest shots. He is fast enough to cover any player on the floor, so Georgia could use him in switches when Gonzaga uses the pick and roll.

Meanwhile, Gregg was considered the "Ultimate Zag" for his leadership abilities, so he could be the heart of this Gonzaga lineup. Gregg is a solid role player who excels at rebounding and has improved his numbers every year he's been with Gonzaga.

Per Game Stats:

RJ Godfrey: 6.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.6 blocks, 1.5 turnovers, 53.9/0.0/61.1 (FG%/3PT%/FT%)

Ben Gregg: 9.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.5 blocks, 0.6 turnovers, 57.1/27.5/78.6 (FG%/3PT%/FT%)

5: Așa Newell vs. Graham Ike​

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Along with the matchup between Demary Jr. and Nembhard, this matchup between Newell and Ike will be the keystone matchup to look out for in this game. Newell is already a superstar talent as a freshman, leading Georgia in points and rebounds. The talented big man has an NBA frame. His agility makes him a nightmare to guard in the paint.

Ike's game is similar to Newell. He is also the leading scorer and rebounder for Gonzaga. His post moves are extremely polished and his rebounding is superb too.

Per Game Stats:

Asa Newell: 15.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.0 blocks, 1.0 turnovers, 54.1/29.9/74.4 (FG%/3PT%/FT%)

Graham Ike: 17.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.6 blocks, 1.6 turnovers, 59.6/36.7/79.7 (FG%/3PT%/FT%)

Georgia vs. Gonzaga Bench​

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Georgia's bench usually runs four-deep, with a heavy reliance on guards Tyrin Lawrence and Dakota Leffew. Both guards average 25 minutes per game, and if Georgia wanted to play small like Gonzaga, you can expect at least one of these guards to start in place of James or Godfrey. De'Shayne Montgomery is a good defensive guard, similar to Silas Demary Jr., while forward/center Somto Cyril leads the team in blocks with 1.6.

Gonzaga doesn't rely on their bench as much as Georgia, but they still have key contributors at almost every position. Michael Ajayi was a much better player last year than this year, but he still has hot streaks that can be useful for Gonzaga. Dusty Stormer is a taller sophomore that can make up for Gonzaga's height disadvantage with their main two guards. Braden Huff, however, is the biggest threat off the Bulldog bench. Huff is 6-foot-10, but weighs in at 250 pounds, and he could be an excellent paint presence paired with Ike.

This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Georgia vs. Gonzaga scouting report for March Madness game

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