Vanderbilt Commodores vs Georgia Bulldogs Match Player Stats On Jan 09, 2019

After absorbing its worst loss since 1959 on Saturday at Tennessee, Georgia entered its Wednesday night Southeastern Conference home opener against Vanderbilt determined to make amends.

Mission accomplished.

Three Georgia players scored in double figures as the Bulldogs rolled past the Commodores 82-63 in Athens, Ga., giving head coach Tom Crean his first conference win.

Rayshaun Hammonds led the Bulldogs (9-5, 1-1) with 19 points. Derek Ogbeide added 15 points and nine rebounds, and Teshaun Hightower had 11 points. Nicolas Claxton contributed nine points and 12 boards.

Saben Lee topped Vanderbilt (9-5, 0-2) with 12 points. Simisola Shittu contributed 10 points and 14 rebounds, and Maxwell Evans also amassed 10 points.

The game was close to start but later got out of hand.

After leading 34-33 at the half, Georgia upped the margin to nine before the Commodores bounced back to close within one.

However, back to back 3-pointers by Turtle Jackson and Tyree Crump extended what was a 56-55 lead to a 62-55 advantage with 8:55 to play.

The Commodores got no closer than five points the rest of the way.

Another 3-pointer by Jackson gave Georgia its biggest lead a 72-57 before a basket by Claxton put the Bulldogs up by 17 with four minutes to play.

Georgia led by one at the half despite some overall sloppy play.

The Bulldogs jumped to a 14-6 lead, but the Commodores roared back. Vanderbilt went on a 13-0 run, capped by a Shittu layup for a 19-14 advantage.

The teams traded leads four times over the final five minutes of the first half until Ignas Sarguinas nailed a 3-pointer to put give the Bulldogs a lead they would hold the rest of the way.

Georgia returns to action Saturday at No. 11 Auburn while Vanderbilt entertains No. 18 Kentucky.

--Field Level Media