In Athens, Georgia, the Bulldogs faced their first consecutive losses of the season since November and suffered their second home defeat against the No. 24 Alabama Crimson Tide. The Bulldogs’ overall record now stands at 14-7, with a conference record of 4-4. On the other hand, the Crimson Tide improved to 15-6 overall and 7-1 in the SEC. The game began with Georgia securing the opening tip-off and taking an early lead, marked by two free throws from senior guard Jabri Abdur-Rahim. This initiated a 9-2 run for the Bulldogs, concluding around the 16:30 mark in the first period. Subsequently, both teams remained scoreless for over three minutes until Georgia initiated an 8-0 run, extending their lead to the largest of the half, 16 points. Alabama broke the scoring drought with a layup by Mouhamed Dioubate with 11:36 remaining, followed by an 8-2 run that narrowed Georgia’s lead to 9 points (10-19). The teams exchanged points until Georgia executed a rapid 7-0 run, extending their lead to 16 points again with 2:37 left in the half. Although Alabama reduced this lead by halftime, the Bulldogs maintained control with a score of 41-27 heading into the locker rooms.
During the first half, the Bulldogs exhibited strong shooting performance, surpassing the Crimson Tide in all scoring categories. Georgia achieved a 43.8% success rate in field goals, an impressive 53.8% from beyond the arc, and a perfect 100% in six free-throw attempts. In contrast, Alabama recorded a 42.9% accuracy in field goals, struggled with 18.2% from 3-point range (missing their first nine attempts), and had a 25% success rate in free throws. Graduate student Noah Thomasson led the Bulldogs with 13 points, connecting on 3 out of 4 attempts from beyond the arc. Following Thomasson, Melendez contributed 9 points, while senior forward Grant Nelson led the Crimson Tide with 6 points, just one point above Melendez, in the first half.
The Bulldogs showcased superior defensive performance over the Crimson Tide in a crucial aspect: rebounds. In the first half, Georgia secured a total of 27 rebounds, with 11 on the offensive end and 16 on the defensive end, while Alabama managed only 7 rebounds, consisting of 1 offensive rebound and 6 defensive rebounds. Melendez led with 7 rebounds, Tchewa contributed 5, and senior Justin Hill grabbed 4. Jarin Stevenson led the Crimson Tide with 2 rebounds in the first half.
As the teams returned from the locker rooms, Alabama quickly added points to the scoreboard with a layup from senior guard Mark Sears within the first minute. Georgia responded with two free throws from Melendez, and the teams traded scoring opportunities. With 10 minutes remaining in the game, Alabama steadily narrowed Georgia’s 12-point lead, embarking on a 7-0 run that concluded with seven and a half minutes left on the clock, bringing the game within 5 points (54-59 in favor of Georgia). The Crimson Tide, fueled by consecutive 3-pointers from sophomore guard Rylan Griffen and Sears, reduced the deficit to 3 points and eventually tied the game at 64-64 with 5:34 remaining. Alabama seized its first lead of the game with 4:47 left, and although Georgia swiftly equalized at 66-66, Alabama maintained the lead for the remainder of the game. Despite Georgia’s efforts, including bringing the game within 2 points with two minutes left, the Crimson Tide extended their lead to secure a victory with a final score of 85-76.
In the second half, Alabama dominated the scoring, outscoring the Bulldogs 58-35, with significant contributions from Sears and Nelson. Sears showcased an impressive offensive performance, adding 19 points in the second half, leading Alabama with a total of 23 points. Nelson closely followed with 20 points in the game, and both players demonstrated perfection from the free-throw line. Sears also led Alabama in rebounds, securing a total of 5. As a team, Alabama improved its shooting percentages, achieving 53.3% overall from field goal range, 50% from behind the arc, and 80% from the free-throw line.
On the Georgia side, Thomasson and Melendez continued to lead offensively, each contributing 15 points. Tchewa reached double digits with 10 points, and he narrowly missed a double-double with 9 total rebounds. However, the second half witnessed a decline in two of the Bulldogs’ shooting percentages, going 0% on 4 three-point attempts (41.2% for the game) and 75% from the free-throw line (83.3% for the game).
When asked about the decisive factor in the game, Georgia head coach Mike White highlighted Alabama’s ability to force turnovers, with Georgia recording 19 turnovers compared to Alabama’s 9 (only 3 in the second half). White also pointed out that following Georgia’s turnovers, their transition defense was ineffective, stating, “we didn’t respond well enough.” Looking ahead to the next game against South Carolina, White emphasized the need for the Bulldogs to get healthy, stay hydrated, and prioritize sleep. The upcoming match is part of Georgia’s first pair of back-to-back home games in conference play and is scheduled for this Saturday at 1 PM EST.
