Georgia, Saint Louis Clash in Offensive Battle for March Madness Opener

No. 8 Georgia and No. 9 Saint Louis meet in a high-scoring first-round matchup in Buffalo

Mar. 19, 2026 at 6:50am

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The NCAA Tournament's first round will feature a showdown between two high-powered offenses as No. 8 seed Georgia takes on No. 9 seed Saint Louis. The Bulldogs and Billikens are set to tip off at 9:45 p.m. ET on Thursday at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. Both teams are coming off strong regular seasons, with Georgia ranking 5th nationally in scoring offense and Saint Louis 10th, led by A-10 Player of the Year Robbie Avila.

Why it matters

This late-night first-round matchup could be one of the most exciting games of the opening round, as the high-octane offenses of Georgia and Saint Louis go head-to-head. The winner will advance to face the top overall seed in the tournament in the next round.

The details

Georgia's offense, led by Jeremiah Wilkinson, has averaged 87.2 points per game this season, while Saint Louis, paced by Robbie Avila, has put up 89.8 points per contest. Both teams had their best regular seasons in school history, setting the stage for a potential March Madness classic in Buffalo.

  • The game is scheduled to tip off at 9:45 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 19.

The players

Jeremiah Wilkinson

The leading scorer for Georgia, who has paced the Bulldogs' high-powered offense this season.

Robbie Avila

The A-10 Player of the Year, who has been the driving force behind Saint Louis' prolific scoring attack.

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What’s next

The winner of this game will advance to face the tournament's top overall seed in the second round.

The takeaway

This first-round clash between Georgia and Saint Louis promises to be a high-scoring affair, as two of the nation's most potent offenses square off with a spot in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on the line.