ATHENS, Ga. - The Georgia Bulldogs downed the North Carolina Central Eagles, 95-59, on Wednesday night in Stegeman Coliseum.
Four Bulldogs recorded double-digit points in the win. Freshman Anthony Edwards led the way with 21, recording his fifth-game of the season to score more than 20 points but his first to shoot at least 50 percent from the field. Other Bulldogs in double-digit scoring included Junior Rayshaun Hammonds (19), senior Tyree Crump (16) and freshman Christian Brown (11). This marks Brown’s first-career double-figure game and career-high points scored.
Crump, making four three-pointers, moved up in the Georgia record book for most three-pointers in a career. His 145 three-pointers surpassed former Bulldogs Ty Wilson (1992-95) and Ray Harrison (1996-99) to climb to No. 12.
As a team, the Bulldogs grabbed 22 offensive rebounds, marking a season high. Georgia also won the rebounding battle, 54-25, with Hammonds’ nine boards leading the way. This was the fourth 90-plus scoring game for the Bulldogs, tying the number of games Georgia accomplished that feat last season.
“I thought our defense tonight, especially in the second half, became a lot better,” Georgia Head Coach Tom Crean said. “We held them to 24 percent shooting in the second half and 9 percent from three. I love the fact that we had three stops in a row 11 different times in the game. We had 47 deflections, we doubled them in rebounding, and we also had some good shots that did not go in.”
Though Georgia led for most of the opening period, North Carolina Central hung within one for the majority of the first five minutes of play. Back-to-back baskets from Edwards, including a fast-break jam, extended the Bulldogs lead to five, 14-9, with 13 minutes to play.
Georgia continued to increase its advantage, going on an 13-0 run over 3:09, capped with a three-pointer from Edwards, to gain its first double-digit lead of the night, 21-9. The Bulldogs eventually totaled a 16-3 run in under five minutes.
The Eagles cut Georgia’s deficit to single digits, nine points, only one time in the final 10 minutes of the opening half. The Bulldogs led by as many as 18, thanks to a 13-3 run over 2:31, capped by three-straight three’s, including two from Crump and one from Edwards.
Five-straight points from Edwards, who tallied 19 points in the first half alone, powered Georgia to its first 20-point lead of the night, 46-25, with 2:55 remaining. The Bulldogs entered the locker room leading the Eagles, 50-35.
Out of the locker room, Georgia went on an 11-0 run over three minutes, with scores from three different Bulldogs, to hand North Carolina Central what was then its largest deficit of the game (26).
An 11-0 Bulldogs’ run combined with a 5:18 scoring drought for the Eagles propelled Georgia to its first 30-plus point lead (33), 78-45, with 7:54 to play.
The Eagles were never able to cut the deficit below 30 points and the Bulldogs led by as many as 37. A free-throw from freshman Mike Peake sealed the 95-59 Georgia victory.
The Bulldogs will now enter a 10-day stretch with no games before they travel to Arizona State on Saturday, Dec. 14, to play the Sun Devils at 8 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. MST. The matchup will be televised on The PAC-12 Network