How Georgia and Mike White plan to retool following exit of freshman KyeRon Lindsay
Mike White’s Georgia basketball team has withstood its share of players missing games due to injuries and illness in the nonconference slate.
With one game to go before SEC play, the Bulldogs now will be redefining some roles with the departure of one-time starter KyeRon Lindsay, the team’s top rebounder.
The freshman from Denton, Texas, did not play in the Bulldogs’ last game, a 72-65 win against Chattanooga Dec. 21. His bio is now removed from the team’s media game notes.
Lindsay decided to transfer, Stadium’s Jeff Goodman first reported last week.
Georgia (9-3) hosts Rider (5-5) Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Stegeman Coliseum.
“We’re definitely going to miss Kye and respect his decision,” forward Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe said Tuesday. “Everyone is just going to have to step up. Me, J.I. (Jailyn Ingram), Juice (Jusain Holt), Jabri (Abdur-Rahim), everybody that can play that 4 spot, 4, 3 spot. Everyone is going to have to step up, stay on the offensive glass and just do what we can to bring things together.”
The 6-foot-7, 215-pound Lindsay led Georgia in rebounding in three games this season.
He started eight games before missing the Georgia Tech game and then played 10 minutes off the bench in the win over Notre Dame in Atlanta, scoring 4 points with 3 rebounds.
Lindsay averaged 6.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game with 9 steals and 4 blocks in 19.9 minutes pe game.
White said Lindsay being off the team could mean his minutes on the court go in several different ways.
“There’s opportunities that guys can earn whether that’s playing bigger or playing smaller or playing a guy that really just found a rhythm himself in terms of overcoming injury over time and that’s Jailyn Ingram,” he said.
White said big men Braelen Bridges and Frank Anselem could be on the court more now together. Abdur-Rahim and Holt also could benefit with more playing time “at that small ball 4 if you will or big guard next to a 5.”
Lindsay originally signed with UNLV before landing at Georgia under White.
White declined to comment on the circumstances behind Lindsay no longer being with the team.
“I can’t get into it,” he said. “All I can say is just he’s not with the team.”
Lindsay did not respond to a message seeking comment.
Georgia opens SEC play Wednesday Jan. 4 against Auburn at home.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Georgia basketball has variety of options after KyeRon Lindsay exit
