No. 16 Alabama takes hot streak to Georgia in battle of high-scoring teams

The Crimson Tide and Bulldogs are two of the highest-scoring teams in the nation.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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No. 16 Alabama looks to extend its Southeastern Conference winning streak to nine games when it travels to play Georgia on Tuesday in Athens. Alabama (22-7, 12-4 SEC) remains in second place in the conference after coming from behind to knock off then-No. 22 Tennessee 71-69 on Saturday. Georgia (20-9, 8-8) evened its conference record on Saturday with a wire-to-wire 87-68 home victory over South Carolina. The Tuesday contest matches two of the most offensive-minded teams in the country, with Alabama ranking first in the nation in scoring at 92.1 points per game and Georgia at No. 6 in the nation and No. 3 in the SEC at 89.7 points.

Why it matters

Both Alabama and Georgia have secured spots in the NCAA Tournament, making this a high-stakes matchup between two teams looking to build momentum heading into the postseason. The game features a clash of high-powered offenses, with the teams ranking near the bottom of the SEC in defense, setting up the potential for a shootout.

The details

Alabama is led by Labaron Philon Jr., who is averaging 21.4 points per game and ranks third in the SEC in scoring. The Tide have six players who average double figures. Georgia is led by Jeremiah Wilkinson, who averages 17.7 points per game and is one of four Bulldogs players who average double figures. Georgia's Blue Cain is close to reaching 1,000 career points, while Somto Cyril is on pace to set a school record for shooting percentage.

  • The Tuesday contest will take place on March 2, 2026.
  • Alabama has won seven of the last eight meetings with Georgia, including a 90-69 victory last year in Tuscaloosa.

The players

Labaron Philon Jr.

Alabama's leading scorer, averaging 21.4 points per game and ranking third in the SEC in scoring.

Jeremiah Wilkinson

Georgia's leading scorer, averaging 17.7 points per game and one of four Bulldogs players who average double figures.

Blue Cain

Georgia junior who is close to reaching 1,000 career points, averaging 13.5 points per game.

Somto Cyril

Georgia sophomore center who is on pace to set a school record for shooting percentage, making 111 of 148 shots (75%).

Nate Oats

Alabama's head coach, who praised his team's defensive adaptability in the win over Tennessee.

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What they’re saying

“We showed some adaptability on defense, the ability to change up. We weren't getting stops at some point, and we had to figure out we needed to outscore them a little bit, so we went with a four-guard lineup.”

— Nate Oats, Alabama Head Coach

“This is exactly what I wanted when I chose to come to Georgia. Playing at home, having a chance to go deep in the tournament and be around great guys. That's exactly what it is. I love playing with this group, and the fact that there's high stakes on every game doesn't scare me. It's exactly what I want.”

— Jeremiah Wilkinson

What’s next

The winner of the Alabama-Georgia matchup will take another step towards securing a higher seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

This high-scoring clash between two of the top teams in the SEC features two of the most potent offenses in the country, setting the stage for an exciting and potentially high-scoring affair as both teams look to build momentum heading into the postseason.