Skip to main content
georgia logo

Georgia doused by Gonzaga 89-68 to end season

On3 imageby:Jake Rowe•03/20/25•

JakeMRowe

Georgia Basketball
Mar 20, 2025; Wichita, KS, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Ryan Nembhard (0) shoots against Georgia Bulldogs guard Blue Cain (0) in the second half of a first round men’s NCAA Tournament game at Intrust Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Georgia’s first trip to the NCAA Tournament in 10 years went about as poorly as it could have gone. The Bulldogs were pounded by a high-scoring Gonzaga squad in the first round by a score of 89-68.

Asa Newell poured in 20 points and pulled down eight rebounds in what could be his last game as a Bulldog. Silas Demary had 15 points and four assists but made just two of 13 shots from the field.

Gonzaga had a monumental day from three-point land, making 12 of 20 tries but a few of those misses came in garbage time. The Zags made eight of 11 from three in the first half. They shot 55 percent from the field and had four players in double digits. Three Zags scored 18 points or more. Khalif Battle led the way with 24 points. Braden Huff and Noah Hickman each poured in 18 points. Graham Ike, the team’s leading scorer coming in, pitched in 13 points.

The game was essentially over in the first five minutes as the West Coast Conference Bulldogs scored the first 13 points of the game. Georgia cut the lead to 11 points at 13-2 but it never got that close again. Gonzaga responded to UGA’s first made basket with an 11-0 run to put the game away with 11:44 to play in the first half.

The Zags’ lead grew from there as they eventually took a 30-5 lead. It was at that point that Georgia mounted it’s best effort of the day. The Bulldogs put together a 7-0 run that morphed into a 18-7 run to cut Gonzaga’s lead to 14 points but that was as close as it got from there on out.

The Spokane Bulldogs eventually grew the lead back to 23 in the first half and took a 21-point lead into the break. The second half wasn’t much better for UGA. It struggled mightily to get stops but it was able to get as close as 16 points. Blue Cain, who was held scoreless in the first half, played an integral role in that run. Once the Bulldogs got within 16, Gonzaga put its foot on the gas and pulled away for good.

The lead never got under 20 from that point on and eventually ballooned to 26 points. The Gonzaga reserves kept Georgia at bay in the final minutes to earn the 21-point win. This Georgia team was one of just six in school history to win 20 games in the regular season.

You may also like