Georgia Bulldogs Battle Xavier Musketeers in Charleston Classic

CHARLESTON, S.C. — The University of Georgia Bulldogs are set to compete against the Xavier University Musketeers this Friday at approximately 9:00 p.m. ET in the Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic. The Bulldogs aim to maintain their perfect 5-0 record after a strong start to the 2025-26 season.

Georgia has made headlines early this season, with the team ranking among the nation’s top-10 in 11 statistics tracked by the NCAA, including leading the country in fastbreak points at 32.9 per game and blocks at 9.2 per game. Coach Mike White’s squad also ranks second in scoring margin at +36.8 ppg.

“We’ve worked hard to build our speed and depth,” said Coach White. “With our metrics, it shows we’re performing well, but we need to keep improving.”

On the other hand, Xavier, currently 3-2 under first-year coach Richard Pitino, is coming off an impressive 99-69 win over Old Dominion. Tre Carroll leads the Musketeers in scoring with an average of 15.0 points per game.

The matchup between Georgia and Xavier brings history into play, with the Musketeers holding a slight 3-2 edge in their all-time series. Their most recent encounter was in the 2024 NIT, where Georgia narrowly escaped with a 78-76 win.

This year’s meeting marks the second neutral site matchup between the teams, following a previous NCAA tournament clash in 2008 that ended in favor of Xavier.

In their last game, Georgia dominated Florida A&M 87-57, featuring a balanced scoring attack with five players hitting double figures. The Bulldogs took an early lead and maintained control throughout the contest.

“We need to keep our focus and make sure we play solid basketball,” White said. “Every game is a chance to learn and grow.”

Fans can watch the game live on ESPN2 with John Schriffen and Scott Williams providing commentary. Xavier will seek to reverse their fortunes against a formidable Georgia team that looks to prove their early-season success is no fluke.