WICHITA, Kansas — It will be a battle of the Bulldogs in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament on Thursday.
A Channel 2 Action News videographer traveled to Wichita, Kansas for No. 9 seed Georgia vs No. 8 Gonzaga. The game tips off at 4:35 p.m.
Thursday marks the first trip to the big dance for Georgia in a decade. Gonzaga meanwhile is making its 26th straight appearance in March Madness and hasn’t missed the Sweet 16 since 2014.
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On Wednesday, Channel 2 was there as Georgia players and coaches ran through a 40-minute practice inside INTRUST Bank Arena.
Georgia is coming off just the sixth 20-win regular season in program history. What’s even more impressive is the fact that Georgia won nearly half of those games in the SEC, which sent a record 14 teams to the tournament.
Head coach Mike White said that facing elite competition definitely prepared his team for the rigors of March Madness.
“It’s prepare for us to be as resilient as just about any team in the country which is really unique for the lack of experience that our group has. It shows the character, connectivity and mental toughness that our group has,” White said. “We’ll respond to adversity, to runs. What does that mean for the outcome of the game? Who knows. But you gotta be resilient in situations like this against really good teams on the big stage because adversities are coming.”
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The last Georgia played in this tournament, the current players on the roster were in the third or fourth grade.
The Georgia players said they are trying to soak in every single second.
“Every kid dreams of it,” Blue Cain said. “It really is a dream come true. I’m just excited to be here.”
“My core memory is probably just being in school, asking teacher if she could turn on the game,” Silas DeMary Jr. said. “Just thinking while I’m doing work in class like ‘Man I want to be there one day. I pray and hope to be there one day.’”
MORE MARCH MADNESS:
- Bracket time: March Madness is set; will your bracket be busted early?
- March Madness: Georgia Tech earns No. 9 seed in NCAA women’s basketball tournament
- Can AI help you win your March Madness bracket? One disruptor bets $1 million on ‘yes’ (and Houston)
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