Georgia is one of the better teams at getting to the foul line, averaging 23.9 charity shots per game. The Bulldogs are even better at it at home.
In two SEC home games, Mike White's team has gone to the line an eye-popping 75 times, converting on 56 of those shots, so when Bruce Pearl says keeping fouls to a minimum is one of the keys to Saturday's matchup between No. 1 Auburn and No. 23 Georgia, you pay attention.
"Georgia goes to the line a lot," the Auburn coach said. "They go to the line a lot at home, and we're going to do everything we can when they drive into us and create contact and put their head down and do the things that they'll do to make the whistle blow. We're just trying to do the best job we can to be vertical and to not foul them."
The Tigers did a great job in Tuesday's rout of Mississippi State, especially in the first half when they committed just six fouls. Georgia will provide more of a challenge, starting with forward Asa Newell. It will be up to Chaney Johnson, Dylan Cardwell and others to ensure the freshman is kept in check.
Newell leads the Bulldogs in points per game (15.3) and rebounds (6.6), providing a physical matchup in the middle.
"Asa Newell is one of the very best freshmen in the country," Pearl said. "He's a great player, great offensive rebounder, great motor. He's got an NBA body at 6-foot-11 and long. He's the best offensive rebounder in our league, and particularly his offensive rebounds just leads to buckets because he gets in there pretty deep."
That won't be the only physical battle Auburn faces in Stegeman Coliseum. Silas Demary Jr., a 6-foot-5 sophomore guard, will match up with Denver Jones, who has been excellent at making other guards work for what they get. Jones and his teammates' size at the guard position makes it more difficult for opposing backcourts than in the past.
"In defending these guards, first of all, we have more size and length in the backcourt this year," Pearl said. "And that size and that length have made us better defensively."
Auburn and Georgia tip off at noon CT, with the game airing on the SEC Network.
