By james art 
Going out of a 30-point loss to Florida on Saturday, Georgia’s basketball team desperately needed victory. After the first time for the top-25 ranking for the first time since 2011, the Bulldogs dropped four direct conference matches and moved to 14-6 in the season, as five losses in SEC game.
However, when Gamecocks rolled into Athens, things looked a little different. Georgia came out at his hottest start for a long time and never looked back, taking South Carolina 71-60 in the 123rd meeting of the two teams of all time.
The freshman Asa Newwell once again looked like the choice of the NBA lottery, which he was expected to be by scoring his fifth double double for the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds, with three blocks.
“I play with a lot of energy and a lot of fire. It was the main message today, just play with fire, “Newel said. “Our hunger had to be ready and it was a must win at home against a really strong South Carolina team. We just all played our hearts outside. We played very hard. “
SILAS DEMARY JR. And Dakota Leffe received the crime in Georgia, walking early with 3-pointers from the back, while Bulldogs’ defense suffocates South Carolina in all corners, representing six turns in the opening of the game six minutes. Newl supported Georgia’s running with two difficult paints in the paint that saw Mike White’s chief coach pop up to an early lead of 11 points.
The crime of South Carolina eventually found its foundation, leading to the gap within two points before Demary breaks more 3 more. Dylan James, after missing her first attempt on the left, started with one of his own before stabbing a dip, which sent a tight Coliseum into turmoil. Georgia pulled away in the first half, ending 17-5 runs, who saw him enter the half by 35-21.
“We made some good decisions, simple plays, forward and filmed it with confidence. You have to do this in this league, “White told the team presentation. “Do or miss. He missed three in a row. Shoot it again. We want a shot. If you have a “shot”, you can’t worry about it or not. SC Sagittarius just let him fly. “
Gamecocks came out of the break with a little more life, forcing nine turnover in the second half and scored 14 points as a result of 14 points. If the bulldogs fired everywhere near as poor as their four losing games had, this game may have come down to the wire. But Georgia struck his shots.
The bulldogs fired 51% of the floor of the evening and 47% behind the arc, with four players ending in double digits as a result – including James (10 points, 5 RBS), which again invaded the rotation.
In particular, Somto Cyril, James and Newwell all had big nights, as the big ones contributed largely to 34 Georgia points in the paint and helped to extract fouls that the Bulldogs converted to the line (12-15).
“My thinking is to maximize every opportunity,” James said. “Every chance I get is 100%. My coach tells me every day “Just be the same person every day, go out there, play hard and then the opportunities will come.” I feel that today was that day, “
Just over a minute left, Blue Cain sank two free clutch throws to hold South Carolina on the length of the hand and to provide a double -digit lead. Georgia also showed an impressive ability to work against the press of a full vessel down. Again and again, the Bulldogs escaped from corner traps and double teams to find an open court and convert the clutch inside the completion.
In the end, Bulldogs’ ability to play a clean, team basketball and to make intelligent shots in crispy weather, late Gamecocks late. Georgia took a decisive victory at a conference, which was perhaps the most difficult at the Basketball College this year and avoids a loss that could write a disaster for White – which had accumulated losses of 29 seconds already in its three seasons.
Now Georgia again goes on the road for another match of the top 5 vs. 4 in Alabama on Saturday, February 1st, determined by 4 am. Six of the next seven opponents of Georgia will be the top-25 tests, so win against The Primson Tide would be huge to secure a March offer for Bulldogs.