Georgia Basketball: Bulldogs Drop Fourth Straight to Georgia Tech

The Georgia basketball team lost it’s fourth straight decision to rival Georgia Tech on Friday.

Georgia Tech defeated Georgia 80-73 on the Tech Campus for a fourth straight basketball win over the Bulldogs. Tech last won four straight over Georgia basketball from 1962-63, when the teams played twice each season.

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The Dawgs required the Jackets to make six free throws in the final minute to beat back a valiant Georgia rally. But the story of the game was the dominating performance of the Tech frontline of Demarco Cox (10 pts, 8 reb) Marcus Georges-Hunt (11 pts, 4 reb) and Charles Mitchell (20 pts 9 reb). Tech’s Quinton Stephens roamed between the guard and forward position to add a game high 22 pts.

Nemanja Djurisic (18 pts, 3 reb) and Marcus Thornton (12 pts, 5 reb) led Georgia. Kenny Gaines, battling the effects of recent illness, came off the bench to score 11.

Time and again in the first half, the Tech big man duo of Cox and Mitchell used size and strength to corral loose balls around the Tech basket. The result was a Tech 10 point halftime lead. The Bulldogs (0-1) pulled to within three on a J.J. Frazier layup with 34 seconds left in the game, but the Dawgs came no closer in the first season-opening contest between the arch enemies.

“I thought we started very impatiently in the first half,” head coach Mark Fox told Georgiadogs.com. “Give them credit defensively. We settled for three-point shots and could not calm down. We played from behind all night. Give Tech credit, but I was disappointed in how we started the game.”

After shooting less than 30% from the field in the first half, Georgia shot 56 percent from the field in the second half. For the game, the Dawgs shot 42 shot from the field, and 25 percent (5-for-20) from three-point range, including 4-for-16 in the first half. Georgia also shot a very encouraging 76% on free throws.

“We shot a good percentage in the second half, but it just took us a long time to relax,” Fox said. “We made an effort in the second half to go inside, but it’s tough to dig that kind of a hole and fight your way out of it.”

Both teams began out of sorts, but while Georgia continued forcing shots throughout the first half, Tech relaxed and collected both opportunities and points, gradually building a 15 point lead with 1:35 to play. Georgia big men Thornton and Djurisic then combined for five points on back-to-back scores, the last a Djurisic three pointer at the buzzer, to leave the Dawgs in striking distance at the half, down 32 – 42.

Nov 14, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs guard J.J. Frazier (30) shoots a lay up against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the second half at McCamish Pavilion. Georgia Tech defeated Georgia 80-73. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The start of the second half brought cheer to the Dawg Faithful as Djurisic and Thornton combined jumpers and free throws to cut the Tech lead to 8.

The Dawgs nibbled at the Tech lead until the backcourt lineup of Cameron Forte, Frazier, and a now poised and focused Gaines, surged, cutting the Tech lead to five, 44-49, with 15:36 to play.

Tech re-extended the lead to 10 with 5 minutes remaining in the game. However, a Gaines three pointer followed by a Frazier stop and go for a layup cut the lead to three with 34 seconds to left. The Dawgs were allowed no closer as Tech made the requisite free throws to seal the victory.

There is no good news in a loss to Tech, but there are some encouraging take aways for Bulldog fans.

Earning his first start in place of the ill Kenny Gaines, J. J. Frasier proved himself ready to play big minutes. Playing 29 minutes, Frazier employed a variety of offensive tactics to score 8 points, he also had four assists to only one turnover and at 5’10 175, found a way to collect five rebounds to go with two steals.

Freshman Yante Maten played 15 minutes and his line included a field goal, three rebounds, an assist and a block. Maten is all the Dawgs had hoped he would be.

As a Bulldog fan, the older you are the longer this loss will sting. But if the Dawgs put this loss behind them quickly, they can win enough games before Christmas and in conference play to gain an NCAA berth.

Hoops recruiting update

Georgia basketball recruiting target Tevin Mack signed a letter-of-intent with VCU on Wednesday. Georgia is waiting on recruiting target Derek Ogbeide.