ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia basketball opened its preseason with a convincing win Wednesday night. The Bulldogs defeated Georgia State 94-61 at Stegeman Coliseum, giving head coach Mike White plenty to be encouraged about.

Led by Freddie Dilione’s 14 points, Georgia relied on balanced offense and aggressive defense to seize control early. The Bulldogs never looked back.

Four Georgia players scored in double figures, while 12 Bulldogs contributed points. Blue Cain and Kanon Catchings each finished with 13 points, while Kareem Stagg added 10.

Georgia jumped to a 12-2 lead less than four minutes in. Five different Bulldogs scored during the opening run as Georgia moved the ball effectively.

The Bulldogs kept pulling away throughout the first half. Cain provided one of the night’s biggest highlights with a three-quarter-court shot at the buzzer. His basket gave Georgia a commanding 48-24 halftime lead.

Georgia maintained control in the second half and eventually pushed its lead to 36 points. Freshman Donovan Williams Jr. connected with fellow freshman Hakeem Weems for an alley-oop with 3:27 remaining.

Despite the lopsided score, White was most pleased with his team’s effort and willingness to play together.

“I liked our level of unselfishness,” White said. “I thought our culture was pretty good.”

White pointed to a late-game moment when Weems was fouled on a 3-point attempt. Four Georgia players immediately rushed over to help their teammate off the floor.

For White, those moments showed the team’s chemistry.

“A lot of extra passes, not a lot of shot hunting for the most part,” White said. “We were pretty connected at times.”

Georgia basketball shows depth on both ends

Georgia’s depth played a major role in Wednesday’s exhibition victory. Several Bulldogs made contributions beyond scoring.

Cain led Georgia with seven rebounds. Senior guard Marcus “Smurf” Millender recorded a team-high five assists.

Millender and Williams also collected three steals each. James Scott added three blocks, leading Georgia’s interior defense.

Millender said he takes pride in creating opportunities for his teammates. He believes moving the basketball is an important part of Georgia’s offense.

“I take pride in it,” Millender said. “It gets my teammates going, gives them energy. Keeping the ball hot is something that coach preaches, so it’s good for the team to have somebody like that because it helps the team stay connected.”

Dilione also emphasized Georgia’s defensive approach. The senior guard said the Bulldogs want to create scoring opportunities by pressuring opposing ball handlers.

“Coach really emphasizes pressuring the ball, being able to read guys, handling the ball, being able to pick pockets and stuff like that,” Dilione said. “It’s exciting for fans to watch and being able to go down, play defense, and score the ball.”

Stagg was another bright spot for Georgia.

White praised the sophomore’s confidence and defensive effort. He also highlighted Stagg’s improvement during preseason practices.

“He might have been the brightest spot,” White said. “I loved some of the plays that he made downhill with a live bounce. He was aggressive, confident, and locked them down defensively. He is getting better and better. He’s had a hell of a month of practice.”

Mike White sees room for improvement

Georgia’s 33-point victory was an encouraging start, but White knows his team still has work to do.

Defensive rebounding remains one of his biggest concerns. The Bulldogs have emphasized that area throughout the offseason, and White wants his guards more involved.

“Defensively, we didn’t do a very good job on the defensive glass, something that we’ve talked about over the summer and fall,” White said. “We’re better than that, but the guards have got to get involved.”

Still, Georgia’s energy impressed White. The Bulldogs continued playing aggressively even after building a comfortable lead.

Georgia also maintained its defensive pressure late in the game. White said his players were reluctant to back off the full-court press when he told them to.

The early exhibition allows Georgia to evaluate its progress before the regular season. White believes the experience will help the Bulldogs improve during the coming weeks.

“I think it’ll positively impact practices moving forward, maybe a little bit more so than if we hadn’t played in early ones,” White said. “I hope to be better in the next one and even better in the third one and then better in the opener.”