University of Georgia Athletics
Wednesday, January 14
Athens, Ga.
7:00
University of Georgia
14-3,2-2SEC
95
vs
97
Ole Miss
10-7,2-2SEC
1
2
OT 1
F
Ole Miss
35
52
10
97
Georgia
40
47
8
95
Georgia Suffers First Home Loss of the Season to Ole Miss in Overtime, 97-95
January 14, 2026 | Men's Basketball
ATHENS, Ga. – No. 21-ranked Georgia (14-3, 2-2) fell for the first time at home this season in a 97-95 overtime loss to Ole Miss on Wednesday night in front of a sold-out crowd in Stegeman Coliseum. Sophomore guard Jeremiah Wilkinson led all scorers with a season-high 32 points in the game.
Fast Facts:
Key Quotes:
Georgia Head Coach Mike White
Opening Statement
"Really tough loss. A ton of things we could have done better, credit Ole Miss. They played well. They're a good team. Their interior defense was phenomenal against us, the best that we've seen all year. The physicality, their wall-ups, their attention to detail. Our field-goal percentage at the rim was really low. It was a huge factor in the game. And then losing Patton [Pinkins] and [Travis] Perry on a few of those possessions, they made us pay. You can't just outscore people in this league. We've got to be a lot better defensively. I've got to do a better job defensively. They shot 60-percent of the second half at home with 10,000 people cheering for us, and we played with some energy and we made some shots and got loud in there, but gave up layups, gave up open threes."
On defensive struggles…
"Focus, attention to detail, pride, what you hang your hat on, not buying what we're selling as a staff right now because you haven't really had to pay for it. We just paid for it. It just bit us. So, I think we got our guys' attention right now. I hope so because that was not a very good defensive effort. Really disappointed, it starts with me, disappointed in myself. Lack of communication on slipping, including the last baseline out of bounds. Possession, which we anticipated a slip coming to the rim, and we just switched it incorrectly. We go zone one possession, and we leave Perry wide open, a bucket. Perry gets a defensive rebound at one point, and we have five guys. I hadn't seen that this year, I told our guy. I hadn't seen it on TV, just 94 feet layup, unacceptable. We'll be better than that defensively."
On Blue Cain's reduced minutes…
"I'll talk to Blue and our staff, we'll put our heads together and discuss it. But I've got all the faith in the world in Blue; he's one of the most improved players I've coached. Obviously, it wasn't his night tonight, but I don't care about missed threes. I care about defensive rebounding, defensive mistakes. And I'm not just talking about Blue, I'm talking about our whole team - led by me. It's all my fault. If Blue's out there playing like he's capable of, he's going to do positive things for us; whether he's making or missing shots. I anticipate Blue playing better on Saturday. It's important to him. He's a really big part of everything we do."
#5 Jeremiah Wilkinson | So. | Guard
On the loss…
"Super frustrating we made 15 threes and lost the game in overtime. Every time we scored, they had to answer, and we have to be better on defense to take some of those away."
On the message after the game from Coach White…
"We have to be better and clean up the mistakes we made on defense. Offensively too, but this game came down to not being able to get enough stops to win the game. We scored enough to win the game, but we didn't get enough stops to win the game, and ultimately that's why we lost."
Up Next: The No. 21 Bulldogs welcome No. 17 Arkansas to Stegeman Coliseum this Saturday, Jan. 17. Tip-off is set for 4:00 p.m. E.T. on ESPN2, and the first 750 UGA students will receive a Georgia winter hat.
Secure your tickets for future Bulldog home games here.
Fast Facts:
- Despite the loss, the Bulldogs maintain a 78-49 all-time record against Ole Miss.
- Along with Wilkinson's 32-point season-high outburst, Kanon Catchings and Smurf Millender posted double-digit scoring performances with 17 and 14, respectively.
- Wilkinson matched his career-best in three-point attempts made with 6.
- Catchings gave the Bulldogs momentum with a 3-point jumper with under two minutes of overtime play. A second chance layup by Ole Miss gave them the win.
- Georgia, now averaging 95.8 points per game, continues to be on the nation's highest-scoring offenses.
- Tonight's loss gives Georgia their second overtime loss this season (1-2).
Key Quotes:
Georgia Head Coach Mike White
Opening Statement
"Really tough loss. A ton of things we could have done better, credit Ole Miss. They played well. They're a good team. Their interior defense was phenomenal against us, the best that we've seen all year. The physicality, their wall-ups, their attention to detail. Our field-goal percentage at the rim was really low. It was a huge factor in the game. And then losing Patton [Pinkins] and [Travis] Perry on a few of those possessions, they made us pay. You can't just outscore people in this league. We've got to be a lot better defensively. I've got to do a better job defensively. They shot 60-percent of the second half at home with 10,000 people cheering for us, and we played with some energy and we made some shots and got loud in there, but gave up layups, gave up open threes."
On defensive struggles…
"Focus, attention to detail, pride, what you hang your hat on, not buying what we're selling as a staff right now because you haven't really had to pay for it. We just paid for it. It just bit us. So, I think we got our guys' attention right now. I hope so because that was not a very good defensive effort. Really disappointed, it starts with me, disappointed in myself. Lack of communication on slipping, including the last baseline out of bounds. Possession, which we anticipated a slip coming to the rim, and we just switched it incorrectly. We go zone one possession, and we leave Perry wide open, a bucket. Perry gets a defensive rebound at one point, and we have five guys. I hadn't seen that this year, I told our guy. I hadn't seen it on TV, just 94 feet layup, unacceptable. We'll be better than that defensively."
On Blue Cain's reduced minutes…
"I'll talk to Blue and our staff, we'll put our heads together and discuss it. But I've got all the faith in the world in Blue; he's one of the most improved players I've coached. Obviously, it wasn't his night tonight, but I don't care about missed threes. I care about defensive rebounding, defensive mistakes. And I'm not just talking about Blue, I'm talking about our whole team - led by me. It's all my fault. If Blue's out there playing like he's capable of, he's going to do positive things for us; whether he's making or missing shots. I anticipate Blue playing better on Saturday. It's important to him. He's a really big part of everything we do."
#5 Jeremiah Wilkinson | So. | Guard
On the loss…
"Super frustrating we made 15 threes and lost the game in overtime. Every time we scored, they had to answer, and we have to be better on defense to take some of those away."
On the message after the game from Coach White…
"We have to be better and clean up the mistakes we made on defense. Offensively too, but this game came down to not being able to get enough stops to win the game. We scored enough to win the game, but we didn't get enough stops to win the game, and ultimately that's why we lost."
Up Next: The No. 21 Bulldogs welcome No. 17 Arkansas to Stegeman Coliseum this Saturday, Jan. 17. Tip-off is set for 4:00 p.m. E.T. on ESPN2, and the first 750 UGA students will receive a Georgia winter hat.
Secure your tickets for future Bulldog home games here.
Team Stats
UM
UG
FG%
.514
.375
3FG%
.458
.429
FT%
.737
.765
RB
37
42
TO
9
9
STL
8
6
Game Leaders
Pts
32
FGM
9
3FGM
6
FTM
8
Pts
17
FGM
5
3FGM
4
FTM
3
Pts
14
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
3
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's BasketballG
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Georgia Men's Basketball - Marcus "Smurf" Millender Pre-Ole Miss Press Conference
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