ATHENS, Ga. — Punctuated with an exclamation point of a secondhalf period, the Georgia Bulldogs put an 82-69 SEC whipping on Arkansas Saturday night at UGA’s Stegeman Coliseum.

Georgia’s victory was even more decisive than the final score might indicate. The Bulldogs led by as much as 19 in the second half and never were threatened again regardless of Razorback inroads.

From Georgia blocking nine shots, to hitting 3-point shots, and the Razorbacks fouling frequently, the Bulldogs turned a relatively close first half into a rout while silencing recent Razorback top gun Sonny Weems.

Senior small forward Weems of West Memphis had scored 17, 17, and a career-high 28 points in Arkansas ’ three previous SEC games. He scored 12 against Georgia, but the last eight on second-half plays with the game long put away.

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With Charles Thomas’ 13 points leading the Hogs while scoring guard Patrick Beverley only scored 9, no wonder coach Billy Felton’s Bulldogs so easily raised their records to 11-5 overall and 2-1 in the SEC East.

Billy Humphrey led the Georgia onslaught scoring 24, including critical second-half treys that iced it away on cold rainy night in Georgia.

Humphrey hit 4 of 6 on treys while the rest of the Bulldogs netted 2 of 7 on threes. Georgia power forward Jeremy Price powered inside for 14 while guard Sundiata Gaines, 14, and forward Terrance Woodbury, 12, also scored significantly for the victors. Reserve forward Albert Jackson accomplished 4 of Georgia’s 9 shot blocks.

Coach John Pelphrey’s Razorbacks, with a midweek break before visiting LSU next Saturday night, regroup from successive SEC defeats, at home last Wednesday against South Carolina and now here, at 13-5 over- all and 2-2 in the SEC West.

“ It’s time for a lot of practice and a lot of soul searching, ” Pelphrey said. “ Not a good game at all. Not good enough to win at home and certainly not good enough to win on the road.

“ I thought Georgia played outstanding. They put themselves in the conversation if there are five teams taken [for the NCAA Tournament ] from the SEC. Georgia is at the top of the league defensively for a reason. They put pressure on all our guys. ”

Arkansas’ big men have had problems chasing smaller players on the perimeter but Saturday night they were beaten by Georgia’s big men while the Hogs also struggled on the perimeter.

“ Georgia was just better tonight, ” Pelphrey said. “ We had the turnover bug [17 total ] and struggled to score in and around the basket and Humphrey and Gaines exposed our guards. We lobpassed it against their zone trap and did not execute very well. ”

The biggest lead of the first half was the 34-27 advantage Georgia enjoyed at intermission and just before that at 32-25. Beverley cut the 32-25 edge to 32-27 on a field goal with 44 seconds left.

Georgia’s Humphrey tallied at: 26 to make it 34-27 with Beverley missing Arkansas’ last shot of the half with 2. 1 seconds left.

The Razorbacks had several first-half leads but never by more than 2 points and never again in the first stanza after a Humphrey trey turned a 22-21 Arkansas advantage into a 24-22 lead that the Bulldogs enhanced.

Both teams played considerable zone, which reflected in the first half, 3-point shooting, 0 for 6 for Arkansas while Humphrey’s two treys were the only ones through the nets in seven Georgia firsthalf tries.

Georgia’s 7-point halftime lead manifested from the Bulldogs holding the edges on the boards, 20-16, and turnovers, nine for Arkansas versus eight for the Bulldogs, and sinking 6 of 8 free throws to Arkansas’ 5 of 9.

Arkansas center Steven Hill did block two first-half shots, but his block of a Dave Bliss shot bounced right back to the Georgia center who couldn’t be foiled again scoring the game’s first points.

Georgia momentum rolled instantly in the second half with Price scoring an oldfashioned three, scoring while fouled by Thomas.

Thomas fouled again, his third at 17: 35. Beverley committed his foul at 15: 36 of the second half, already putting Georgia in the one and one.

Townes, heating up in the second half with consecutively successful post moves, committed his third foul at 13: 15. Townes fouled at 6: 21.

Arkansas must take today and Monday off by NCAA rules since the Razorbacks didn’t get an off day last week with games Sunday, Wednesday and Saturday.