ATHENS — The Georgia Bulldogs defeated the 13th-ranked Auburn Tigers in an SEC rematch, 65-55, in front of a sold-out Stegeman Coliseum on Wednesday night to snap a five-game losing streak.
This win marks the first over Auburn for the Bulldogs since March of 2017. It also marks the second win over an AP Top 15 team this season, the last coming at No. 9 Memphis on Jan. 4. The last time the Bulldogs were able to defeat multiple top 15 teams in a season was during the 2003-04 season when they tallied three upsets.
Freshman sensation Anthony Edwards paced Georgia in scoring for the 16th time this season with 18. This marks the 22nd double-digit performance of his career. Junior Rayshaun Hammonds (13) and freshmen Sahvir Wheeler (13) and Toumani Camara (10) joined Edwards in double figures.
Edwards became the third-highest scoring freshman Bulldog of all time after upping his season points total to 486 in tonight’s game with his 18-point performance. Edwards passed Litterial Green’s 481 (1989) and now trails only behind Jumaine Jones (515; 1998) and Jacky Dorsey (646; 1975).
"The fans were here and on their feet,” Georgia Head Coach Tom Crean said. “The win is awesome, there's no question about it and I'm happy for our team. The bottom line is that shows we're building a program. We are going through growing pains and hard days. We are going through adversity, but you don't get a program built if you lose momentum with your fans. They are staying with us, and I'm so thankful for that… To have everybody here like that supporting us on a Wednesday night means a lot. So thank you Dawg Nation, from the bottom of my heart and from all of this team."
The first five minutes of play saw back-and-forth action between the two teams. Hammonds and Edwards got the Bulldogs rolling, accounting for 15 of Georgia’s first 21 points.
Georgia held Auburn to 2-of-14 from the field en route to grabbing the 22-14 advantage with 7:56 remaining in the opening period.
While Auburn momentarily grabbed its first lead since the opening five minutes, the Bulldogs answered quickly with an 8-0 run to regain the 30-23 lead. The eight point swing was all freshmen, with Wheeler and Edwards accounting for all eight points in Georgia’s run.
The Bulldogs held the Tigers to two points in the final five minutes of the first half to head to the locker room leading 31-25.
Out of the half, Georgia quickly extended to its first double-digit lead, 37-27, due in part to an Auburn scoring drought that lasted 3:16.
A dunk from Edwards marked the first field goal for the Bulldogs in six minutes of play, a pivotal basket to end Auburn’s momentum. Auburn cut its deficit to three, 43-40, halfway through the second frame but the Bulldogs quickly extended their lead back to seven thanks to a jumper from senior Tyree Crump.
Georgia limited Auburn from the field for nearly another three minutes to hold on to the nine-point lead with 6:32 to play. Auburn held Georgia to no points for two and a half minutes before Edwards came up big yet again with a basket in transition to grab the five-point advantage.
A shot from behind the arc from Edwards would grab momentum for the Bulldogs which they wouldn’t lose for the remainder of the game, grabbing the eight-point advantage with 2:15 to play. The Tigers were never able to get within five of the Bulldogs and free throws from freshman Toumani Camara solidified the 62-55 Georgia victory.
Up next, Georgia travels to Nashville, Tenn. to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores on Saturday, Feb. 22, at 6 p.m. The contest will be televised on SEC Network. Georgia returns home to a sold-out Stegeman Coliseum when they host the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday, Feb. 29, at 6 p.m.
