ATHENS — Scoring contributions from 12 different players and a strong showing on defense led Georgia to a 94-38 defeat of Fort Valley State in Thursday's exhibition at Stegeman Coliseum.
Junior Yante MatenClick here to hear it led the Bulldogs offensively with 19 points, while freshman Tyree CrumpClick here to hear it added 14. On defense, Georgia had six steals, four blocks and forced 14 turnovers while limiting the Wildcats to just 24.6-percent shooting on the night.
"It certainly was good to get back in front of fans and play well," Georgia head coach Mark Fox said. "We had a lot of guys finish some plays. But as in any exhibition game, we have bigger players and more players than Fort Valley. Those kids played hard, I just think we had a deeper team, obviously, and we had some guys play well. It was a good first outing for us. [The team has] a lot to learn, a lot of room to improve, but it's a good starting spot for us."
Georgia led 51-19 at the break, shooting 19-of-39 as a group. Maten started off strong for the Bulldogs, tallying 10 points on 4-of-4 shooting in the game's first three minutes. After scoring 13 points in the first half, Maten opened the second with dunks on each of Georgia's first two possessions. The Pontiac, Mich. native was named to the preseason All-SEC Second Team by the media and is the only returning major-conference player in the country that averaged at least 16 points and eight rebounds a year ago.
On defense, the Bulldogs held Fort Valley State to single-digit points until the 4:52 mark in the first half. The solid defensive effort continued into the second half, as the Wildcats struggled to get things going offensively. After shooting 8-of-32 in the opening period, Fort Valley State made nine field goals on 37 attempts in the second 20 minutes. A season ago, Georgia finished 2nd in the SEC in opponent field goal percentage, holding the opposition to an average of 39-percent shooting.
Georgia tips off the regular season next week, traveling to Clemson to take on the Tigers on Friday, Nov. 11 at 7:00 p.m. The game will be regionally televised by FOX Sports. The Bulldogs' home opener will be the following Monday, Nov. 14, against UNC Asheville.
Head Coach Mark Fox
On tonight's game...
"It certainly was good to get back in front of fans and play well. We had a lot of guys finish some plays. But as in any exhibition game, we have bigger players and more players than Fort Valley. Those kids played hard, I just think we had a deeper team, obviously, and we had some guys play well. It was a good first outing for us. [The team has] a lot to learn, a lot of room to improve, but it's a good starting spot for us."
On Tyree Crump's three-point performance...
"That is what he does. It is one of his greatest strengths. He is a terrific shooter and so I'm not surprised by it. I think he is an outstanding shooter and he is learning a lot about playing at this level. I think he did a lot of really good things tonight."
On getting a big lead...
"We stayed stable and the game didn't fall apart. We kept playing the right way. Because we have depth we are able to put fresh guys in and they have to play the right way or they are coming out. And I was really pleased with the fact that we continued to play the game the right way at both ends."
On Yante Maten's performance...
"Yante is a terrific player. We scored 51 in the first half. He was obviously the biggest guy on the court tonight so he is going to be able to make plays. But J.J. (Frazier) was very passive in the first half. I think he was just trying to get everybody else involved and he was trying to get those guys comfortable, which is admirable for a senior. But we are going to need a lot of guys to chip in and Yante is certainly consistent for us."
Junior Forward Yante Maten
On playing with intensity...
"Coach was emphasizing how we need to play hard at all times, and if you get tired and you don't run every single time, you're coming out. He just really wanted us to play hard."
On having depth as a team...
"Late in the season, thats when bodies start to wear down, and if we have more players, thats going to help everyone, starters and all. It's going to be crucial that we have those people coming off the bench."
Freshman Guard Tyree Crump
On hitting his threes...
"I knew if I kept shooting, I would eventually hit. I was always told, just leave the last one and think about the next one. Keep shooting."
On being nervous in his first game...
"Not at all, not at all. I was ready, I was excited."
http://accesswdun.com/article/2016/11/465454/georgia-hoops-opens-with-exhibition-win