Georgia Basketball improves to 8-2 on the season after defeating in-state rival, Georgia Tech 80-59. Once again the Bulldogs run the state of Georgia and claim a state championship. After a close first half, Georgia handled the Yellow Jackets and controlled the final half.

 

Yante Maten led the Bulldogs with 24 points shooting 9-13 and 69 percent from the floor. Freshman, Rayshaun Hammonds put up 11 points making 3-5 from the floor and 2-3 from the arch. Eight Bulldogs scored during the game, however, it was the bench that made a statement as Georgia scored 18 points to Georgia Tech’s 1 point off of the bench.

“We have a deep team, that’s one of the strength’s of our team,” said head coach Mark Fox. “We have a number of guys who can play, a lot of guys who can contribute and in the second half we felt like our depth might be a factor in the game and it probably was.”

Despite a strong offensive showing by the Bulldogs, it was the defense that ultimately won the game. Georgia held Tech to 36.7 percent shooting from the floor, allowing them to score just eight baskets in the second half and no three-pointers. Georgia outrebounded them 35-28 during the game and restricted Tech to just five second-chance points.

The first half went neck and neck as the lead changed three times in the first seven minutes. Then Georgia went on a 15-4 run kickstarted by a jumper and a dunk from Maten. During that span, the Bulldogs held Tech scoreless for 3:56, producing nine unanswered points taking a 26-17 lead. That run allowed Georgia to edge out the lead for the rest of the opening half as it went into halftime up 36-34. The Bulldogs shot 48.3 percent which marked the best first-half shooting of the season.

Georgia continued the momentum in the second half with a layup from Derek Ogbeide, which began an 8-2 run over Tech in the first four minutes. The Bulldogs maintained a 10-plus lead over the Yellow Jacket for a majority of the half. Georgia held Tech without a field goal for the 4:40 of the game, clinching the final score of 80-59. The Bulldogs shot 71.4 percent from the floor and 66.7 percent from the arch. Georgia put together a complete game, and the results proved positive. Tech never gained any kind of momentum in the second half, and Georgia demolished them.

The Bulldogs are 5-0 at home so far this season and look to make it 6-0 on Friday, Dec. 22 at 1 p.m. as they take on Temple University.

 
 
[pt_view id=”8722077nva”]