No. 14 Gators whip Georgia in Athens, 86-66

Staff Reports

ATHENS — The Georgia Bulldogs came up short at home Wednesday night, falling 86–66 to Florida Gators in an SEC matchup at Stegeman Coliseum.

Georgia (17–7, 5–6 SEC) couldn’t recover from Florida’s strong start and consistent defensive pressure, as the No. 14 Gators (15–9, 3–8) controlled the paint and limited the Bulldogs to eight assists. Florida shot 50 percent from the field and dominated the glass, led by Reuben Chinyelu’s 20 rebounds.

“Florida was really good, played really well,” Georgia head coach Mike White said. “They’ve got a terrific front line. I thought their guards really stepped up. … Their ability to guard the ball one-on-one at a high level, one through five, was on display.”

Despite the loss, Georgia had individual bright spots. Junior guard Blue Cain led the Bulldogs with 17 points for his second double-double of the season, while Marcus “Smurf” Millender added 15. Kanon Catchings scored 11 and grabbed eight rebounds — one shy of a career high — and Somto Cyril chipped in 10 points. Georgia finished with a 23–19 edge in fast-break points but struggled to sustain momentum in the half court.

Cain said the Bulldogs were forced to adjust without their usual rhythm but credited teammates for stepping up. “Jeremiah definitely contributes to a lot of stuff,” Cain said. “I felt like we had some guys step up. I thought Smurf played really well. I thought Kareem was really good. It wasn’t enough, but I thought some guys stepped up.”

White pointed to freshman Kareem Stagg as a positive, especially on the glass. “I thought that was the biggest positive,” White said. “Our guys knew this one could get ugly on the glass if you’re not prepared to battle. … Nine offensive rebounds is a little bit of growth for us.”

Millender said consistency remains the key as the Bulldogs navigate the middle of conference play. “Just staying focused,” he said. “Sometimes when we get a big win, we kind of lose focus a little bit because of the victory. We’ve got to live with focus.”

Florida coach Todd Golden praised his team’s approach from the opening tip. “I’m just really proud of our group tonight,” Golden said. “I thought we did a great job coming out ready to play. When we guard and rebound, we’re pretty tough to beat, and it’s got to be our calling card.”

The loss snapped Georgia’s chance to build momentum at home, where the Bulldogs still hold a 64–46 all-time edge against Florida in Athens.

Georgia hits the road Saturday to face Oklahoma in Norman at 3:30 p.m. on SEC Network. The Bulldogs return to Stegeman Coliseum on Saturday, Feb. 21, to host Texas.