By John Frierson
Staff Writer

They weren’t all going to be blowouts. They weren’t all going to be second-half snoozers that allowed head coach Mike White to empty his bench in the closing minutes.

Sooner or later, the Georgia men’s basketball team was going to have to win a close one, a grinder that was as much about hustle and grit and will as size, talent or red-hot shooting. That night was Friday.

Inside a sold-out and spirited Stegeman Coliseum, the Bulldogs had to work for everything they got in their 92-87 win over Georgia Tech. It was a whistle-fest of a game, with a combined 52 fouls called, which kept either team from finding any rhythm for long stretches, but with the game tied at 66 with less than nine minutes to go, the Bulldogs went on a 19-8 run that allowed them to pull away for good.

It wasn’t a great shooting night for Georgia (4-0), which shot 40.3% from the field and hit just 6 of 29 3-point attempts, but the Bulldogs made up for their misses with scrappiness. They fought for rebounds, they dove for loose balls, they did all of the little things teams have to do when their shots aren’t falling.

Georgia came into the game having averaged 106.0 points per game in wins over Bellarmine, Maryland Eastern Shore and Morehead State. The average margin of victory in those games: 49.7 points. This game bore little resemblance to those.

Tech (3-1) led 8-4 early. Guard Jeremiah Wilkinson helped spark an 8-0 run midway through the first half, hitting a 3-pointer, forcing a turnover under the Yellow Jacket basket, and then hitting a pair of free throws to make it 26-16 Bulldogs. It looked like Georgia might start to take control of the game, but Tech battled back. At halftime, Georgia led 46-45.

After Georgia pushed its lead to 50-45 on a Kanon Catchings putback of a Blue Cain miss, Tech answered with a 15-2 run to lead 60-52 with 14:01 to play. That’s when the Bulldogs’ will and grit came to the forefront.

Jake Wilkins grabbed a pair of offensive rebounds before being fouled, hitting both free throws. He then blocked a shot at the other end. After a hustle play near the sideline by Marcus “Smurf” Millender forced a Tech turnover, Justin Abson scored on a layup.

A Wilkinson 3 cut the Tech lead to 60-59 with 11:48 remaining. Soon after, Kareem Stagg got a steal and fed the ball ahead to Wilkins for a layup and a three-point play, putting the Bulldogs back in front. A Tech 3 later tied the game 66-66 with 8:53 to go.

After Somto Cyril blocked a shot, Millender was fouled, hitting both free throws. The next time down the floor, Jordan Ross hit a 3. A dunk by Cyril made it 73-66. Cyril added another block soon after, and Ross hit a pair of free throws. With 5:06 to go, Cain stole the ball, soared in for a dunk and drew a foul. His free throw made it 78-68.

With 4:25 remaining, Cain drove for a reverse layup, making it 80-69. But Tech wouldn’t go away. A Wilkinson three-point play pushed the lead back to 11, 85-74, with 2:51 on the clock. Two Millender free throws made it a 91-81 game with 38 seconds left. Tech made things interesting with a couple of baskets after that, but the Bulldogs were able to hold on for the win.

Cain and Wilkinson led the Bulldogs with 18 points each, and Ross added 14. Six Bulldogs had at least five rebounds, Wilkinson had three steals and Cain two, and Cyril and Abson had three blocks.

It may not have been the most beautiful game ever played, but Georgia showed what it was made of in the victory. It was a team win, with critical contributions from all 11 guys who took the court. It might be more fun to win by 50, but wins like Friday’s will pay dividends down the road in the thick of SEC play.

Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men’s Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files.