Georgia basketball: Bulldogs fall in overtime to No. 23 Florida
For years, Georgia basketball has struggled to win in Gainesville, Fla. That fact did not change on Saturday.
The Bulldogs led for a majority of the game, but the Gators rallied late and took the game to overtime. The Bulldogs were without Yante Maten for the final 8:51 of the game after he fouled out, and Florida pulled out a 80-76 win. The Bulldogs have not won in Gainesville since 2002, with this loss being their 14th consecutive defeat at Florida.
With the loss, Georgia falls to 11-6 and 3-2 in SEC play, while Florida improves to 14-3 and 5-0 in the SEC.
The Bulldogs held a 33-32 lead at halftime. J.J. Frazier again had another strong opening 20 minutes, as he scored 10 points in the first half.
While Georgia led for the entire first half, the lead changed hands multiple times in the second half. The Gators were led by senior Canyon Barry, who knocked down five 3-pointers and led Florida with 27 points off the bench.
Florida had a chance to win the game late, but Kasey Hill missed 2 of his 4 free throws in the final 24 seconds. Frazier missed a contested shot at the buzzer that sent the game to OT.
Florida responded well to an early Frazier 3-pointer in overtime and got out to a 75-72 lead with over a minute to go. Georgia was able to chip the deficit to one point, but the Bulldogs never reclaimed the lead.
Frazier finished the game with 25 points.
Player of the game: Juwan Parker
While Frazier was his usual spectacular self — he led Georgia in points, assists and steals again — Yante Maten battled foul trouble for much of the game. While he finished with 15 points and 4 rebounds, Maten fouled out with 3:51 remaining in regulation.
Fortunately, Parker had his best game of the season. The junior had a career-best 17 points for the Bulldogs. He also grabbed 7 rebounds.
Stat line of the game: 3-point defense
Georgia once again struggled to defend the 3-point line, as the Gators knocked down 9 of their 23 3-pointers. Barry hit 5 of those, while Keith Stone knocked down 3. Stone’s 3-pointer in overtime gave Florida a 72-70 lead that the Gators never relinquished.
Turning point: Maten fouling out
With 3:51 left in the game, Georgia had a 64-59 lead, and Maten had 15 points in just 19 minutes. But Maten, who battled foul trouble all game, picked up his fifth and final foul. The Gators ended regulation on an 8-3 run and won it in overtime.
What’s next for Georgia basketball
The Bulldogs return home for a game on Tuesday against the Vanderbilt Commodores. The Bulldogs lost last season when the two teams met in Nashville, Tenn. Vanderbilt is 2-2 in SEC play and takes on Tennessee later on Saturday night.
Georgia basketball box score
