In the midst of a tough stretch in the schedule, the Georgia men’s basketball team will have a unique opportunity Saturday to step foot in the house of arguably the greatest player of all time.

Georgia (5-2) will square off against Illinois in Chicago’s United Center, where Michael Jordan played home games for all but two seasons of his storied career.

Chicago is technically a neutral site for each program as the Fighting Illini (6-1) only travel 140 miles from Champaign, Ill., to play.

“That’s definitely going to be fun,” said guard Zac Swansey. “The Big Ten is a great conference and Illinois is a great team and a great program. Playing in the United Center only tops it off.”

Jordan was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 1984 and played 13 seasons with the Bulls, winning six NBA Championships. Individually Jordan averaged 30 ppg, won five MVP awards and was a 14-time All-Star.

“When Jordan played that was the only time I would watch a game,” junior Albert Jackson said. “I was always a big Bulls fan. I remember every championship he won, every Finals game and all his big shots. Just being in that gym and seeing that statue out front is going to be nice.”

While Georgia does not have a player comparable to Jordan, senior Terrance Woodbury has stepped up into the primary leadership role.

“I got to definitely do more as far as vocal leadership and on the court leadership,” Woodbury said. “Coach Felton is looking at me to help the younger guys coming along fast so we can get better quicker.”

Woodbury has averaged 13 points and four rebounds per game this season. But those numbers have not come easy. The Virginia Beach native is shooting 37 percent from the field, including 8-32 from the 3-point line.

In the first half of Tuesday night’s loss to Western Kentucky, Woodbury scored 16 points, appearing to be the perimeter go-to-guy the Bulldogs are craving. In the second half, Woodbury was nowhere to be found, scoring only two.

Georgia’s offense disappeared with Woodbury, as the Bulldogs only scored 25 points in the second half, compared to 38 in the first. The streaky play of Woodbury and the Bulldog offense overall is concerning for Bulldog fans.

“You got expectations you have for yourself,” Jackson said. “I think [Woodbury] kind of put a little bit too much pressure on himself and now he’s just relaxing and going out and playing. Now he’s trying to enjoy himself a little more and try to go out and win games.”

Being a team leader is uncharted territory for Woodbury, who played with Sundiata Gaines and Dave Bliss for three years. Those two players took pressure off Woodbury and teammates but graduated last year.

“I’ve never been in put in that situation where I had to be the scorer,” Woodbury said. “I was always an option but I wasn’t the go-to-man.”

Woodbury echoed Jackson’s statements saying he has realized that he can’t control everything.

“Things are going to happen,” Woodbury said. “I’m not expecting all tough shots to go in, but I’m expecting most of them to. You just got to play through it, that’s all.”

Woodbury certainly has not lost confidence in his shot, or his play overall. Neither have his teammates.

“We look for him to be our go-to-guy down the stretch and we’re going to look for him all 40 minutes,” Swansey said.