Led by 16 points each from Marcus Thornton and Kenny Gaines, the Georgia Bulldogs downed the Florida Gators, 73-61, in an SEC clash at Stegeman Coliseum
For the Bulldogs (11-5, 2-2 SEC), J.J. Frazier added 11 points and six assists and Charles Mann chipped in with 10 points.
Devin Robinson and Dorian Finney-Smith each finished with 11 points to pace the Gators (10-7, 3-1), while Michael Frazier scored 10.
Both teams shot the ball well to open the contest, as each connected on 50 percent of their field goals in the first half. The Bulldogs took a 36-31 lead into halftime, as they were much more effective from deep, hitting on 5-of-9 from 3-point range. The Gators missed all but one of their five shots from beyond the arc in the half. Georgia scored the first 12 points of the game and led by as many as 15 in the opening stanza before Florida rallied late in the half to keep the game close.
Georgia continued to shoot the ball well after halftime, knocking down 64.7 percent of its shots from the field, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. Florida tried to keep pace, again shooting 50 percent from the field, including 4-of-11 from 3-point distance. The Bulldogs used a 15-4 run early in the second half to build a double-digit lead, as they cruised down the stretch for the victory.
The Bulldogs had the edge at the free-throw line, outscoring the Gators 19-8. Both teams had trouble hanging onto the ball, as they combined for 35 turnovers.
[SportsNetwork.com]
