The Dawgs finally seem to be getting it together. After a 91-72 rout of UMass and the first sellout of the season, the confidence in Athens in sky high.

Nicolas Claxton continues to evolve his game and show what a versatile player he is. Now, add in Rayshaun Hammonds who seems to now be scoring however he wants with a revitalized three-point shot. These two make up quite a duo emerging in Athens, Georgia.

Georgia went 5-1 in their recent stretch spanning from November 27 to December 30, a little over a month. The only loss in that span was a two-point loss to the number 20 ranked (at the time) Arizona State Sun Devils.

The teams that Georgia beat include: Kennesaw State, Texas Southern, Oakland, Georgia Tech, and Massachusetts. Throw in Arizona State and the record of these 6 teams is 37-42 which is hovering right around a .500 percentage. It hasn't been the toughest of competition but these teams are still not to be underestimated.

The Dawgs face a tough stretch as we begin SEC play. Games against Tennessee, Auburn, and Kentucky highlight an extremely difficult 4 game span.

Auburn is currently ranked as the 12th best team in the country and Kentucky sits at 13. Tennessee checks in at number 3. Both the games against Tennessee and Auburn will be on the opposing team's turf. Kentucky will be coming to Athens.

This Georgia team has shown tons of fight over the past few games. Even in the loss to Arizona State, the team played outstanding defense against a superior opponent and almost came away with a hard-fought victory.

In the recent game against UMass, Nicolas Claxton made his case as the leader of this team even stronger. He may be only a sophomore but his numbers and court impact speak for themselves. He has led the team in both points and rebounds on multiple occasions and he has even led in the assist column. Teams don't seem to know how to handle themselves defensively when Claxton brings the ball up to initiate the offense. It is a little wrinkle in the gameplan that coach Crean has been remarkably savvy at exploiting.

Derek Ogbeide, the senior big man, has been one of the most important players on the team this year. After being part of a stellar frontcourt duo with former bulldog Yante Maten, Ogbeide has shown significant improvement in his overall game. That is a very welcome sight for Georgia as they head into the gauntlet on SEC play.

After an up and down start to the season, the Bulldogs are starting to mold their identity. With the lack of a true superstar player, guys like Claxton, Hammonds, and Ogbeide have stepped up as vocal leaders. Their play will need to rise to the occasion to keep the hot streak going in January.