ATHENS — Sahvir Wheeler, a freshman from Houston, Texas, scored on a driving layup with 1.9 seconds left in the second overtime to propel the Georgia Bulldogs to an 87-85 win over the Southern Methodist University Mustangs on Friday night in Stegeman Coliseum.
Wheeler drove from the top of the key through two SMU defender on the left side of the lane before banking in the game-winner. Wheeler also scored with 24 seconds remaining in the first overtime to push the contest another five minutes.
Junior Rayshaun Hammonds paced Georgia in both scoring and rebounds, tallying 21 and 11 respectively to record the fifth double-double of his career and third of the season. Two other Bulldogs ended the night in double-figures, including freshman sensation Anthony Edwards (16) and senior Tyree Crump (12). Behind Hammonds, freshman Toumani Camara grabbed a career-high six boards. Wheeler equaled his career high with eight assists to go along with nine points.
Comparing the two teams, the Bulldogs shot a higher percentage in all three categories. Georgia also out performed SMU in second-chance points, 22-19, proving to play a key role in the victory.
"We don't win this game without this crowd,” Head Coach Tom Crean said. “We do not win this game without this incredible, passionate, stick-with-us, not let us drop crowd. I reminded the players a few times that we're sitting here in basically a sold-out game, and these fans are not giving up on you, so don't give up on yourself. I'm extremely proud of how we found a way to win, and I'm unbelievably thankful for our fans."
While the Bulldogs got on the board first, SMU led by a small margin for the opening five minutes. A basket from Edwards propelled Georgia to a one-point lead with 15:23 to play. The basket was part of a 7-0 Georgia run that extended the lead to 12-8 with 13:10 to play.
After knotting the game twice, SMU regained the lead, 24-21, with 4:21 to play on an and-one as part of a 6-0 run. The Mustangs extended their run to 8-0 to grab their largest advantage to that point at five.
Two consecutive baskets from senior Jordan Harris, including a dunk at the buzzer, brought the Bulldogs within three to send them into the locker room trailing, 28-25.
Seven minutes into the second half, Harris came in clutch yet again with a 3-point shot to bring Georgia within one, 44-43, after facing its largest deficit of six out of the locker room. Shortly after, graduate transfer Donnell Gresham Jr. drained a second-chance basket to gain the 45-44 Georgia lead.
Three lead changes later, a basket from Edwards and fast-break dunk from Harris gave Georgia back the one-point advantage with 7:17 remaining. For the first time in over three minutes, a team lead by more than one with the Bulldogs gaining a four-point advantage thanks to baskets from Edwards and Hammonds.
A shot from behind the arc from Hammonds powered Georgia to its largest lead of the night, five, with 3:26 left in regulation. The Mustangs were able to regain the 68-67 lead off a fast-break layup with two minutes remaining.
After knotting the game at 68-all thanks to a free-throw from Hammonds, the Bulldogs were able to force the game into overtime after Edwards denied SMU a shot with one-second remaining. After both teams committed turnovers while inbounding the ball, the half-court shot from Edwards missed to send the game into overtime.
The Mustangs quickly grabbed the first points of overtime off a 3-pointer. While SMU held onto the lead for a majority of the first overtime, the Bulldogs tied the game at 77 with 24 seconds remaining thanks to a layup from Wheeler to force another five minutes of play.
Double-overtime mimicked the majority of regulation with a back-and-forth battle between the two teams, including multiple ties and lead changes. Two-made free-throws from Edwards put Georgia on top within seconds of double-overtime. Edwards continued his dominance shortly after, draining a shot from behind the arc as the shot clock expired to put Georgia ahead by three. SMU answered with a 3-pointer of its own to tie the game yet again at 82-all with 2:31 remaining, only for Hammonds to counter with a three-point shot while being fouled to push the Bulldogs ahead by three.
The game was knotted 85-all with 1:23 remaining, but the layup yet again from Wheeler sealed the 87-85 double-overtime victory for the Bulldogs.
Up next, Georgia hosts in-state foe Georgia Southern on Monday, Dec. 23, at 7 p.m. for the final game before the break for Christmas. The matchup will be televised on SEC Network.
