By Zach Pascuzzi
A 23-point, 10-rebound double-double from freshman phenom Asa Newell was all for nothing as Georgia men’s basketball suffered another second-half collapse in a 13-point loss to the Missouri Tigers at Stegeman Coliseum.
The Bulldogs’ eighth loss in their last ten games dropped them to 16-10 on the season and just 4-9 in SEC conference play. It was their third loss in a row, following defeats to Mississippi State at home and Texas A&M on the road.
The first half was an exhilarating back-and-forth affair in which neither side led by more than six. Newell, Demary Jr., and Blue Cain led Georgia’s offense in the first 20 minutes, scoring 30 of the team’s 41 points as they led by three at the break. The 41-point tally was the most points the Bulldogs had scored in a first half this season since dropping 47 on Kentucky in an eventual 82-69 win on Jan. 7.
Despite shooting just 35% compared to the hosts’ 60.7% mark, Missouri stayed in the game by creating more possessions and strong contributions from the bench. The Tigers recorded nine points off five Georgia turnovers and had nearly as many offensive rebounds (13) as Georgia had total rebounds (14) in the first half. Additionally, Missouri’s reserve unit outscored the Bulldogs’ own 18-5, led by seven points from Caleb Brill. He finished the game with 15.
When the second half rolled around, Georgia once again took its foot off the gas.
It was 58-54 in Missouri’s favour after a Newell dunk with 13:37 to play, when the Tigers went on a 15-0 run over the next three minutes to go up 73-54 on a jumper by Jacob Crews. That 19-point lead was Missouri’s largest of the game, and they were able to coast to a double-digit victory from there.
Missouri’s win was their eighth in SEC play this season and it improves them to 19-6, now a virtual lock for the tournament in March. Last year, Missouri failed to win even a single SEC game and their season ended after a loss to Georgia in the first round of the conference tournament.
The loss leaves Georgia in a precarious position. They were one of the last four teams in, according to Joe Lunardi’s bracket for ESPN as of his most recent ranking yesterday. With five games to go in the regular season, the Bulldogs have few opportunities remaining for high-caliber wins. Their two best chances are their next two games: away to the top team in the country, Auburn, on Feb. 22 and hosting No. 3 Florida on Feb. 25.
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