ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Kario Oquendo scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half, Braelen Bridges added 17 points and Georgia beat Western Carolina 85-79 on Monday night.
Oquendo and Bridges each converted a three-point play during a 9-0 run to give Georgia a 70-62 lead. Oquendo capped that run with a 3-pointer and he added another 3 with 50 seconds left to make it 82-75. The Bulldogs led by at least four points in the final five minutes.
Aaron Cook had 13 points and 12 assists and Dalen Ridgnal had 10 points and nine rebounds for Georgia (5-6), which has won all eight games in the series. Oquendo was 6 of 13 from the field but made all seven of his free throws. Cook, ranked No. 2 in the SEC and No. 6 nationally with 6.6 assists per game, is 20 assists from 400 for his career.
“For us, we adjusted,” said Georgia head coach Tom Crean following the game. “We had a really good finish to the game with the scoring. They were mixing defenses, and our guys were really active and playing through it. I’m proud we got this one under our belt now because I didn’t like our confidence at all on Saturday night. I thought our confidence came alive in this game.”
Georgia scored the opening five points and led by as many as 11 points in the first half, but WCU closed on a 17-9 run over the last seven minutes to get within 35-33 at halftime.
Travion McCray led WCU (6-6), under first-year head coach Justin Gray, with 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Nicholas Robinson added 14 points, Marvin Price had 13 and Vonterius Woolbright 12. The Catamounts were 12 of 46 (26.1%) from 3-point range.
Georgia's eight-game, 37-day homestand continues against East Tennessee State on Wednesday.
