University of Georgia Athletics
Georgia Topples Vanderbilt 68-59
January 22, 2005 | Men's Basketball
ATHENS - The Georgia basketball team recorded its first conference win of the season by ousting Vanderbilt 68-59 on Saturday afternoon in Stegeman Coliseum
despite missing sophomore Levi Stukes, the team's leading scorer, with an ankle injury.
Freshman Kevin Brophy, who replaced Stukes in the starting line-up, led the Bulldogs with a career-high 19 points on a mere five-of-seven from the field, including four-of-six from three point range.
Trailing 24-26 at halftime, Brophy gave Georgia (7-8, 1-4 SEC) its first lead of the second period as he stole the ball and drove the distance to put the Bulldogs up
38-36 with 13:25 on the clock. Vanderbilt retook the lead briefly on an open three from senior Corey Smith, but the Commodores (11-7, 2-3 SEC) did not regain the
momentum as freshman Channing Toney followed with a jump shot in the lane for the Bulldogs. Georgia would not trail again, shooting a solid 58 percent in the second
half.
| Kevin Brophy scores a career-high 19 points to lead Georgia in victory over Vanderbilt. See highlights. |
"It was our best effort for a full 40 minutes of putting it together," Georgia head coach Dennis Felton said. "Offensively we had better ball movement. I think we had our most possessions all year that got down to 10 seconds or less on the shot clock. Most of the times that it ran down, the play went our way."
With 6:40 on the clock the Bulldogs began a 12-3 run that left them with a 10 point lead that Vanderbilit could not overcome with just 2:41 remaining. Toney finished with 16 points while freshman Sundiata Gaines added 13 points, three assists, and three steals.
"Our team really benefitted from Sundiata distributing the ball and making things happen for other players," Felton said. "I have a hard time believing that he only had
three assists."
Also making an impact for the Bulldogs were freshman Dave Bliss, who tallied six rebounds, and redshirt freshman Corey Gibbs who returned after missing five games with an injury to score seven points for Georgia.
The Bulldogs shot just 25 percent in the first half. Vanderbilt held a seven point lead with 3:20 remaining in the period, but Brophy then hit the first of his four three's to send Georgia on a 7-2 run that cut the margin to two.
The Bulldogs now face a two road games against Florida and Alabama before returning to square off with LSU on Feb. 2 at 7:30 in Stegeman Coliseum.
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