Georgia basketball struggles without Terry Roberts, falls 82-57 to Texas A&M

A Georgia basketball team without its leader in points, assists and steals looked lost against one of the SEC’s second place teams.

The Bulldog (14-9, 4-6 SEC) offense dearly missed star point guard Terry Roberts in an 82-57 loss to Texas A&M on Saturday night at Reed Arena in College Station, Texas.

Roberts did not travel with the team due to a concussion sustained during UGA’s loss at Auburn on Wednesday.

Georgia coach Mike White added that Roberts’ return is on a day-to-day basis.

The Aggies (16-7, 8-2) took full advantage, scoring early and often to earn a double-digit lead they never surrendered after the 11:59 mark of the first half.

Georgia did get impressive performances from Jabri Abdur-Rahim and Justin Hill in Roberts’ absence.

Hill scored a season-high 20 points with 3 assists, 2 rebounds, a block and 3 steals in his fifth start this season.

Abdur-Rahim scored 18 points with 3 rebounds and a steal.

The Bulldogs have had a chameleon offense of sorts this season, adapting their strategy to best attack their opponents. No matter how UGA adapted, though, Roberts was almost always at the center of it.

The Bradley transfer was averaging the eighth most points (15) and the fourth most assists (4.2) in the SEC entering Saturday.

Roberts’ ability to attack and then distribute or score against interior defense has been paramount in defining Georgia’s offensive identity.

“He’s been our best player, obviously,” White said. He orchestrates what we’re doing offensively and he’s been our best defender, as well.”

The head coach was quick to deny any excuses, adding that Roberts’ absence did not cause the loss. White mentioned Hill’s electric performance in relief of Roberts and recognized Texas A&M’s timely offensive rebounding as the game’s main difference maker.

“It just seemed like when we forced misses, when he had made a shot or made a couple shots in a row, it just seemed like they got all of those,” White said. “They got the important ones offensively and they converted a lot of them.”

Identity was exactly what White’s team, known for its ability to push the ball inside, appeared to be without.

UGA, which averages just over 21 3-point attempts per game, tried 31 shots from beyond the arc in the loss. The ultimate problem was that the Bulldogs made just 5 of them.

The Aggies took a 38-22 lead into halftime thanks to a pair of first half scoring runs.

Texas A&M jumped on runs of 14-0 and 13-0 to take a 28-7 lead at the 6:45 mark.

That was when Georgia, which made just two of its first 17 shots from the floor, finally started moving. The Bulldogs were 5-of-12 shooting to finish the half, burying three 3-pointers.

Abdur-Rahim sank a pair of 3-pointers and led UGA with 10 points at the half.

The Bulldogs will return home, where they have an 11-1 record, to host Ole Miss at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Georgia will try to sweep the Rebels (9-14, 1-9) after beating them 62-58 in Oxford for its lone road win of the season.

Georgia basketball vs. Texas A&M Box Score

StatBroadcast, Dawgnation