Georgia drops third straight despite career-night from Bridges
ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia Basketball dropped its third straight Tuesday night, falling 78-74 to Ole Miss at Stegeman Coliseum. Three Bulldogs finished in double-figures including Braelen Bridges with a career-high 26 points on top of 11 rebounds but it wasn’t enough to top the road Rebels who had two player hit the 20-point mark and made their shots when it mattered.
The first half of action was very evenly balanced. Neither team led by more than five, and Ole Miss went into the locker room up just one. Bridges carried the weight early on with nine of the first 11 for the Bulldogs before Kario Oquendo chipped in. Both players went into the locker room already in double-figures with 14 and 12 respectively, Bridges’ first double-digit scoring performance in five games since scoring 10 versus Vanderbilt. The two of them accounted for 26 of Georgia’s 34 in the first twenty minutes, trailing 35-34 at the break.
The second half saw Bridges top his previous career-high of 24 which he had last season against Cincinnati. As he did that, the only other real factor on the offensive end remained Oquendo. Georgia and Ole Miss went into the final media timeout separated by just one point with neither team having led by more than six in the second half. It was in the final 3:26 that the game was truly decided with M.A. Moncrieffe tying it at 63 a piece before a pair of made free throws and a contested layup put Ole Miss up four. Georgia’s Justin Hill did his best to keep the Bulldogs in the game with baskets on three straight possessions including an and-one that put UGA down one with 1:00 to go, but the Bulldogs gave up an pair of offensive rebounds that led to Ole Miss free throws. The Rebels made three from the stripe, and while Georgia had a chance to tie, Ole Miss opted to foul instead of letting the Bulldogs get a game-tying 3-point attempt up. Following free throws from each team, time expired with Ole Miss victorious, 78-74.
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The loss, their third straight, drops Georgia to 14-10 overall and 4-7 in the SEC, tenth in the SEC. Meanwhile, Ole Miss remains below the Bulldogs in league standings with a 10-14 record overall and 2-9 mark in conference play. The two teams split the season series after Georgia’s win in Oxford on January 14.
Georgia plays a second of three straight at home on Saturday as the Bulldogs host Kentucky. UGA lost 85-71 earlier this season on the road against the Wildcats behind a big night from reigning National Player of the Year Oscar Tshiebwe. Tip time at Stegeman Coliseum is set for 12:00 p.m. on ESPN.
