Georgia basketball misses last shot, falls 85-82 to Vanderbilt

ATHENS – Jabri Abdur Rahim had a chance but could not sink a potential game-tying shot as Georgia basketball took its first home loss of the season.

Abdur Rahim received an inbound pass from Terry Roberts with just 3.9 seconds remaining, spun and missed the game’s final shot off the back iron as the buzzer sounded.

Limiting opponents to less than 80 points has proved crucial for the Bulldogs, who are 0-5 when they fail to do so. Georgia’s only other loss came at Georgia Tech, which ended in a 79-77 decision.

Vanderbilt’s fast start helped it take a 44-36 lead into halftime. The Commodores sank 8 of their first 13 shots, at one point using a 10-0 run to build a lead it never surrendered.

Georgia, which made 3 of its first 15 attempts, found a rhythm in the half’s last 12 minutes. Abdur Rahim’s trifecta of first half 3-pointers kept the Bulldogs nipping at Vanderbilt’s heels.

Abdur Rahim finished the first half leading the team with 11 points.

Mardrez McBride nailed his first 3-pointer of the day to pull even at 36 before the Commodores, who finished the half shooting 8 of 12 from 3-point range, scored 8 unanswered points going into halftime.

The Bulldogs will try to upset another ranked SEC team when they visit No. 9 Tennessee at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at the Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Georgia’s attack will need to be sharp again against a Volunteer defense that boasts the second-best scoring defense in the country.

UGA shocked the conference with a 76-64 win over No. 16 Auburn in its SEC opener on January 4.

Georgia Vanderbilt Box Score

StatBroadcast, Dawgnation