University of Georgia Athletics
Bulldogs Battle Past Tigers In Overtime
January 03, 2026 | Men's Basketball, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
In an SEC opener with a bit of everything, from blocks and dunks galore to 50 combined fouls, plus a buzzer-beating jumper to force overtime by Auburn, the No. 23-ranked Georgia men's basketball team closed the extra period on a 9-2 run to knock off the Tigers, 104-100, Saturday afternoon at Stegeman Coliseum.
Guard Jeremiah Wilkinson, who scored a game- and season-high 31 points, hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the final two minutes to give Georgia (12-1) the lead for good. And forward Dylan James swished a pair of free throws with 5.3 seconds left to seal the win.
Wilkinson hit a floater from the right side as the first half expired to give the Bulldogs a 47-42 lead at the break. Early in the second, Somto Cyril dunked and Wilkinson drove for a layup to push Georgia's lead to 53-44, but this wouldn't be a runaway.
Auburn came into the game with a 9-4 record, but the Tigers' losses were to Arizona, Michigan, Purdue and Houston, teams currently ranked Nos. 1, 2, 5 and 8, respectively, in the most recent Associated Press top 25. Last season, the Tigers won the SEC regular-season title and advanced to the Final Four. This was a battle-tested Auburn squad that didn't make anything easy for the Bulldogs.
After the Tigers cut the lead to 61-60, Cyril dunked a putback, and Marcus Millender hit a 3 to make it 66-60. The game looked like it might change dramatically 21 seconds later when Cyril landed awkwardly and was writhing on the floor holding a knee. He left the game with 12:17 remaining and didn't appear likely to return, but the 6-foot-11 sophomore center wasn't done. He finished with 15 points, tying a career high, six rebounds and five blocks. Millender hit five 3s and scored 24 points off the bench.
Cyril jogged gingerly back to the bench after a little more than a minute of game action and re-entered the game with 10:50 to go. And the Bulldogs were glad he did. Cyril later grabbed an offensive rebound and fed Blue Cain inside for an 85-81 lead with 1:51 remaining.
Auburn's Keyshawn Hall converted a three-point play with 6.4 seconds left to cut Georgia's lead to 90-88, and after a Tiger timeout, Cain fired an inbounds pass the length of the court to Cyril for an easy dunk and a 92-88 lead with 5.2 seconds left. But the Tigers weren't done.
Wilkinson was whistled for a foul on Hall's 3-point attempt with .7 seconds left. Hall hit the first two free throws and intentionally missed the second. The ball bounced off the rim to the left side, and the Tigers' Kevin Overton managed to catch it and fire off a jumper before time expired, sinking the basket and tying the game at 92.
The teams traded baskets early in the extra frame before Auburn went ahead 98-95 with 2:56 to go. Wilkinson made one of two free throws with 2:22 left, and Cyril blocked a pair of Auburn shots on the Tigers' next possession. That was followed by a Wilkinson 3, another Cyril block, and another Wilkinson 3, this one putting Georgia up 102-98 with 1:00 on the clock. After a Hall layup, the Tigers fouled James, who calmly made the two free throws to close out a hard-fought Georgia win.
Things don't get any easier for the Bulldogs after Saturday's dramatic win. They play their first SEC road game Tuesday night at No. 22 Florida, the defending national champions. That's life in the SEC, and Georgia appears ready for it.
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Staff Writer
In an SEC opener with a bit of everything, from blocks and dunks galore to 50 combined fouls, plus a buzzer-beating jumper to force overtime by Auburn, the No. 23-ranked Georgia men's basketball team closed the extra period on a 9-2 run to knock off the Tigers, 104-100, Saturday afternoon at Stegeman Coliseum.
Guard Jeremiah Wilkinson, who scored a game- and season-high 31 points, hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the final two minutes to give Georgia (12-1) the lead for good. And forward Dylan James swished a pair of free throws with 5.3 seconds left to seal the win.
Wilkinson hit a floater from the right side as the first half expired to give the Bulldogs a 47-42 lead at the break. Early in the second, Somto Cyril dunked and Wilkinson drove for a layup to push Georgia's lead to 53-44, but this wouldn't be a runaway.
Auburn came into the game with a 9-4 record, but the Tigers' losses were to Arizona, Michigan, Purdue and Houston, teams currently ranked Nos. 1, 2, 5 and 8, respectively, in the most recent Associated Press top 25. Last season, the Tigers won the SEC regular-season title and advanced to the Final Four. This was a battle-tested Auburn squad that didn't make anything easy for the Bulldogs.
After the Tigers cut the lead to 61-60, Cyril dunked a putback, and Marcus Millender hit a 3 to make it 66-60. The game looked like it might change dramatically 21 seconds later when Cyril landed awkwardly and was writhing on the floor holding a knee. He left the game with 12:17 remaining and didn't appear likely to return, but the 6-foot-11 sophomore center wasn't done. He finished with 15 points, tying a career high, six rebounds and five blocks. Millender hit five 3s and scored 24 points off the bench.
Cyril jogged gingerly back to the bench after a little more than a minute of game action and re-entered the game with 10:50 to go. And the Bulldogs were glad he did. Cyril later grabbed an offensive rebound and fed Blue Cain inside for an 85-81 lead with 1:51 remaining.
Auburn's Keyshawn Hall converted a three-point play with 6.4 seconds left to cut Georgia's lead to 90-88, and after a Tiger timeout, Cain fired an inbounds pass the length of the court to Cyril for an easy dunk and a 92-88 lead with 5.2 seconds left. But the Tigers weren't done.
Wilkinson was whistled for a foul on Hall's 3-point attempt with .7 seconds left. Hall hit the first two free throws and intentionally missed the second. The ball bounced off the rim to the left side, and the Tigers' Kevin Overton managed to catch it and fire off a jumper before time expired, sinking the basket and tying the game at 92.
The teams traded baskets early in the extra frame before Auburn went ahead 98-95 with 2:56 to go. Wilkinson made one of two free throws with 2:22 left, and Cyril blocked a pair of Auburn shots on the Tigers' next possession. That was followed by a Wilkinson 3, another Cyril block, and another Wilkinson 3, this one putting Georgia up 102-98 with 1:00 on the clock. After a Hall layup, the Tigers fouled James, who calmly made the two free throws to close out a hard-fought Georgia win.
Things don't get any easier for the Bulldogs after Saturday's dramatic win. They play their first SEC road game Tuesday night at No. 22 Florida, the defending national champions. That's life in the SEC, and Georgia appears ready for it.
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Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files.
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