SEC Men's Basketball:
League-worst Georgia throttles Arkansas 81-59
Georgia guard Gerald Robinson (22) shoots a lay up while defended by Arkansas guard Julysses Nobles (23), left, and Arkansas guard Rashad Madden (00) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/The Athens Banner-Herald, AJ Reynolds)
Originally published February 8, 2012 at 9:13 p.m., updated February 8, 2012 at 10:16 p.m.
ATHENS, Ga. — Exactly three weeks after their last win, Gerald Robinson and his Georgia teammates finally snapped a four-game losing streak that had the Bulldogs sitting at the bottom of the SEC standings.
Robinson scored a career-high 27 points and Georgia beat Arkansas 81-59 on Wednesday night to keep the Razorbacks winless on the road.
"We were determined to get a win," Robinson said. "We needed it bad."
Robinson made 10 of 13 shots and added six rebounds and five assists.
"Gerald played phenomenal for us," said Georgia coach Mark Fox. "We ask him to do so much for us, and when you look at it, it really isn't fair how much we ask of him. Tonight he finished a lot of plays early for us and helped set the tone for us. Then he continued to finish and help us all game."
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 18 points as Georgia (11-12, 2-7 Southeastern Conference) won its first game since beating Tennessee in overtime on Jan. 18. The Bulldogs led by 19 at halftime and stretched the lead to 27 points about 6 minutes into the second half.
Arkansas (16-8, 4-5) fell to 0-7 on the road, including 0-5 away from Fayetteville in SEC games.
It was a disappointing loss for the Razorbacks, which began the night tied for sixth in the SEC.
"I thought it was one of the worst performances; it was just flat," said Arkansas coach Mike Anderson. "There was no energy. Out of all the people that are surprised, I would be the most surprised because I thought we'd come out and really defend and give ourselves a chance but we just didn't."
BJ Young led Arkansas with 16 points. Mardracus Wade made five 3-pointers and had 15 points for the Razorbacks, who have lost two straight and three of four.
"We've really been struggling on the road and we thought for sure that we'd come in and get a win, but it didn't turn out that way," Wade said.
"Georgia came out more aggressive than us. They came out knocking down shots. We were playing a little passive. I guess Georgia fed off that."
Georgia, which had been held under 70 points in its first eight conference games, made nine 3-pointers.
"People just looked more confident out there," Robinson said.
Arkansas never led and there was only one tie, at 8-8. At that point, Robinson scored to spark a 15-0 run. The Bulldogs kept the lead in double figures the rest of the game.
Georgia finished with a 44-21 advantage in rebounds, made 9 of 20 3-pointers and 30 of 57 shots overall (52.6 percent).
"That's as well as we've played maybe all year, I don't think there's any question about that," Fox said.
Nemanja Djurisic had 14 points and Marcus Thornton added 10 for the Bulldogs. Robinson, a senior, scored Georgia's first six points and easily topped his previous career high of 22 points.
Georgia starting guard Dustin Ware, usually the team's top 3-point shooter, did not score while missing each of his eight shots. Ware led Georgia with six assists.
Fox said he had seen signs of improvement from his team in practice the last week.
"I felt like we were starting to get some confidence in what we're doing," he said.
Caldwell-Pope said the early 15-0 run was important to boost the Bulldogs' confidence.
"It was big. We needed that," he said. "We didn't want them sticking around with us in the second half."
Georgia, last in the league with its average of 56.2 points in SEC games, set a season high for points in a first half by leading 43-24 at the break.
The Bulldogs made five 3-pointers in the half, including three by Caldwell-Pope.
Arkansas, frustrated by missed layups, made only 6 of 23 shots from the field and was outrebounded 25-10 in the half.
Thornton, who had been held without a field goal in five straight games since missing five games following arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, ended his drought by sinking a 3-pointer midway through the first half. Thornton beat the shot clock with another 3 in the second half.
Arkansas senior forward Michael Sanchez left with an apparent right shoulder injury with 11:13 remaining. He was escorted to the locker room and returned to the bench with ice wrapped around the shoulder.
Comments
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hognaustin says...
Shameful, pitiful - the women's team could have done as well as this bunch tonight, maybe better. Something must be done - maybe find a little pride or self-respect and win on the road at least once this year. Time to grow up guys!
February 8, 2012 at 9:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
rmmr says...
We will have to give MA a chance to get his style players recruited. I see 4 players (Powell, Young, Wade, Madden) that you could build a good team around. 2 other players(Abrams and Michelson) that could become good 6th or 7th men off the bench at best. We need a couple bigs and a couple true point gaurds on this team, for Scott and Nobles just cant shoot the ball or lay off the glass on layups with any type of consistency at all but maybe 1 out 7 games at a time. I'm sure MA knows all this and will recruit for it, we will have to be patient for next year too, but he will get us there.Hognaustin I aree with part of your post, its time for everyone to quit saying that they are young, because they got their butts beat by another young team tonight, its not like they played Kentucky, Syracuse, or North Carolina to be walked on like that.
February 8, 2012 at 9:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
StLouisHog says...
I have faith in MA and I know he will get us where we want to go. Having said that, I am at a loss to explain why we played so poorly against a team that was 1-7 in conference play. This was by far our worst played game of the year. We played better than this against Kentucky. We just have to put this one behind us and get ready for the next game.
February 8, 2012 at 10:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Miles says...
Time to turn the freshman loose!! I know MA wanted to keep the pressure off of them but it's time and they are ready. Enough of trying to let Nobles and Sanchez be the leaders just because they are older. That is like the blind leading the blind. Starting lineup: Waithe, Wade, Madden, Young, Mickleson. Follow the talented freshmen that won an AAU national title together not the incumbents that have been a part of some of the worst teams in razorback history.
February 8, 2012 at 10:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dwp007 says...
As with Mayberry, Day, O, Corliss, Scotty and others before them, this team, with some added depth and Mike Anderson at the wheel, will eventually turn the corner and develop the mindset necessary to win on the road.
Petrino's guys, though talented, went through the same thing their first year.
Meanwhile, "Forty Minutes of Hell" should be required viewing by all on Saturday night.
February 8, 2012 at 10:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
KFPowers says...
This may sound funny, but I don't think the hogs played all that bad especially in the second half. Arkansas dug themselves a big hole in the first half, and the main problem I saw was poor shot selection and bad floor spacing. But I think Georgia just played out of their minds. I mean yea Arkansas got its ass kicked, but in the second half they were making a lot of good plays. Everything just went right for Georgia. This happens from time to time in basketball where a lesser team just plays way above their heads. I saw very good play from Mickelson, Wade, and Young.
A few observations:
* Madden and Scott need to stop taking threes (do what you can do which is drive and kick or pull up)
* Feed the ball to Mickelson as much as possible - the offense would be hugely better if they can get the ball to the middle and let him find the open shooter or cutter.
* Everybody needs to practice blocking out and getting position for defensive boards in zone defense.
February 8, 2012 at 11:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hogwild1976 says...
I am glad that I am deployed overseas...if I had to watch us destroyed by Georgia - would probably get physically sick! The growing pains are going to be tough! Big wins at home, but those are only good when you win the games that you should win on the road.
February 8, 2012 at 11:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
rmmr says...
Never in my life have I seen division 1 players miss the amount of layups as I have watched Scott and Nobles the last 2 yrs.
February 9, 2012 at 6:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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