It’s never a good idea to put too much stock into a single basketball game. Last season, we thought a series of early SEC wins would propel Georgia into a sure postseason bid. Then we watched the season tank.

This year, we were flying high after a win over Gonzaga. But then the Dawgs failed to grab any kind of momentum from that win and have now lost four straight.

Tonight’s game with South Carolina isn’t a must-win in the sense that a single loss can always be overcome at some point. It also isn’t a potential cure-all; Georgia has a long ways to go in the SEC schedule. But as much as a single game at this stage of the season can be a must-win, this is it.

South Carolina has looked pretty dreadful in the few games they’ve played against decent competition, and Georgia is heavily-favored. This game isn’t a sure win by any stretch, as Georgia is not yet to the point of taking any opponent for granted. After coming up short against four good opponents, the Dawgs sorely need a win, and playing a struggling South Carolina team in Stegeman Coliseum is the kind of game Georgia must win if they hope to right the ship and make any kind of noise in the SEC.