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Bulldogs regroup, snap 3-game skid

By MARK SCHLABACH
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer



Athens -- In preparing his basketball team for Saturday's game against Arkansas, Georgia coach Dennis Felton offered his players some simple advice.

"Hey, it would help if we made some shots," Felton told them. "Everything gets easier when you make shots."

That's what the Bulldogs did against the Razorbacks, turning in their most dominating performance of the season in a 71-50 blowout in Stegeman Coliseum. After failing to score 60 points in each of their past three games, the Bulldogs hit that mark with more than 10 minutes left against Arkansas.

Georgia scored on its first four possessions, never trailed and led by as many as 25 points in snapping its three-game losing streak. The Bulldogs shot a season-high 53.2 percent, made 11 of 19 shots in the second half and hit six of 16 3-pointers.

"You don't expect to beat anybody in the SEC like this," Georgia senior Jonas Hayes said. "We've just got to make shots, and we all did today."

Nobody shot better than Georgia forward Damien Wilkins, who scored a career-high 26 points on 11-for-14 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds. Wilkins shot 2-for-17 on 3-pointers in the previous five games, but the senior made all three of his 3-pointers against the Razorbacks.

"I was just shooting and they were going in," Wilkins said. "I knew they'd start falling at some point, as much time as I've been spending in the gym. It just took a little longer."

It was Georgia's third win in a row against the Razorbacks, a first in the teams' 18-game series, and the Bulldogs (10-8, 2-5 SEC) beat the Hogs (10-8, 2-5 SEC) for the fifth time in seven games in Athens.

Arkansas was coming off a 70-62 upset of No. 22-ranked Vanderbilt a week ago but lost for the fifth time in seven games. It was the Razorbacks' lowest scoring total since a 66-50 loss to then-No. 2 Kentucky last Feb. 19. They never got closer than 18 points in the final 16 minutes against Georgia.

"We seemed a step slow," Arkansas coach Stan Heath said. "Every time we made a push, somebody [from Georgia] made a big play. I was really surprised by how well Georgia shot the ball."

Senior forward Chris Daniels scored 16 points for the Bulldogs, including 12 in the first half, and grabbed nine rebounds. Jonathan Modica led the Razorbacks with 17 points, and freshman Ronnie Brewer scored 15 points with three assists and five steals.

Georgia led by 15 points at halftime and then scored on five consecutive possessions early in the second half to go ahead 52-29. Freshman guard Levi Stukes' 3-pointer made it 60-35 with 10:29 left.

"It was a tremendous win for our team," Felton said. "We played extremely well in just about every area. We continued to play as a team, as we did [in loss at LSU on Wednesday night]. We got ourselves good shots and, fortunately, tonight we made them."