Georgia basketball is dancing after fourth straight win

As it turned out, that gust of wind that blew over Athens, GA some time around 3 PM, EST, was not wind after all. That was the collective breaths of Bulldog nation exhaling all at once as the unnerving and unforgiving 2024-2025 regular season had finally ended. And it sure ended on a high note.

With still a lot left to play for, the resurgent and resilient Georgia basketball team were not going to be denied on this occasion. On Senior Day Saturday in Athens, the Georgia Bulldogs defeated the Vanderbilt Commodores 79-68 in front of a packed and electric Stegeman Coliseum.

Tied at 39 points at halftime, the game was pretty much a stalemate for most of the contest until the Bulldogs finally were able to take control with under nine minutes to go when they went on a 15-0 run behind a defense that held the Commodores without a point for more than six minutes.

Georgia was led in scoring by Asa Newell and Silas Demary Jr., who each scored 15 points. Seniors Dakota Leffew and Tyrin Lawrence came up big with 14 and 13 points each, respectively.

For Georgia, this season has seen its fair share of ups and downs. Just a few short weeks ago, what had once seemed like a foregone conclusion has now become reality as it is completely safe to say that after a 10-year hiatus, Georgia basketball will be returning to the NCAA Tournament. But up first, the SEC tournament where Georgia will be the No. 11 seed.

Georgia (20-11, 8-10 SEC) will face 14-seed Oklahoma in a night cap contest at 8:30 PM, CST, Wednesday, March 12th in Nashville, TN.

Top Performers

Georgia had two players tied for team high in points. Freshman sensation and future NBA lottery pick Asa Newell and sophomore guard Silas Demary Jr. each had 15 points, respectively.

Junior guard Jason Edwards would lead the Commodores in scoring with 24 points.

This and That

Georgia has won four straight SEC games, to give them a total of 20 wins this season.

Georgia has only won 20 regular season games six times in its 119 seasons with the last one coming in the 2014-2015 season, which ironically was the last time the Bulldogs made it to the NCAA Tournament.

Georgia has now won two straight games versus Vanderbilt, after previously losing four straight.

Field Goal Percentage: Georgia: 22-49 (44.9 percent) | Vanderbilt: 22-57 (38.6 percent)

Three Point Percentage: Georgia: 8-18 (44.4 percent) | Vanderbilt: 8-27 (29.6 percent)

Rebounds: Georgia: 35 | Vanderbilt: 34

Turnovers: Georgia: 13 | Vanderbilt: 14

Points of Turnovers: Georgia: 22 | Vanderbilt: 10

Points in Paint: Georgia: 28 | Vanderbilt: 22

Bench Points: Georgia: 34 | Vanderbilt: 19

Biggest lead of the night: 17 (Georgia)

Parting Shot

This one was for the seniors. Leffew and Lawrence have been tremendous additions for Mike White and the Bulldogs. Their leadership and poise were much needed, especially down the home stretch of the regular season where they both came up big, game after game, clutch moment after clutch moment.

Now it is on to the SEC Tournament where White and company hopes Georgia’s red-hot play continues.

What’s Next for Georgia?

11-seed Georgia travels to Nashville, TN to take on a familiar foe in 13-seed Oklahoma on Wednesday, March 12th, in the first round of the SEC Tournament.