For long stretches Tuesday night, it appeared Georgia might finally emerge on the right side of a late-game SEC battle. Instead, the Bulldogs came up just short after 45 minutes of back-and-forth basketball, falling to Ole Miss 97-95 in overtime at Stegeman Coliseum on a second-chance tip-in as the final buzzer rang.
Ole Miss set the tone early as the Rebels opened with a 9-0 lead and later pushed that margin to 13-3 as Georgia struggled to find an original offensive rhythm. The Bulldogs shot just 25 percent in the first 11 minutes, while Ole Miss moved the ball efficiently and finished possessions with consistency.
Despite the slow opening stretch, Georgia stayed in contention by relying on its interior presence and team depth. Sophomore center Somto Cyril provided efficient production around the rim, extending possessions on the glass. Many of Georgia’s first-half points came from second-chance opportunities, allowing the Bulldogs to narrow the deficit.
As the half wore on, Georgia began to heat up significantly. Cleaner ball movement and sharper shot selection allowed the Bulldogs to erase a 10-point deficit and flip the momentum heading into the break.
Head coach Mike White emphasized that the surge needed to be paired with a stronger defense.
“You can’t just outscore people in this league,” White said, “We have got to be a lot better defensively. I have got to do a lot better defensively.”
The second half opened with increased intensity and physicality on both ends as the teams continued to exchange buckets. While neither team maintained a comfortable lead, Georgia was able to capitalize by using its depth to maintain tempo, leaving Ole Miss no choice but to answer with timely shot-making.
Sophomore guard Jeremiah Wilkinson delivered a career night, leading all scorers with 32 points while tying his career high of six made 3-pointers. Junior guard Marcus “Smurf” Millender was next for the Bulldogs, finishing with 14 points to go along with four assists. Georgia knocked down 15 3-pointers on the night, despite overall shooting efficiency remaining a challenge.
With the score tied late, the teams traded possessions in a tense final minute before a last-second attempt sent the game to overtime, marking the seventh overtime meeting in the series between the two programs.
In the closing seconds of overtime, Ole Miss missed a jumper, but Patton Pinkins secured the rebound and tipped it in at the buzzer to clinch the 97-95 win.
After the game, sophomore forward Kanon Catchings pointed to execution on the defensive end in the closing moments.
“We scored enough to win the game,” Catchings said, “but we didn’t get enough stops to win the game, and ultimately that’s why we lost.”
Georgia now turns its attention forward after another closely contested SEC game. The Bulldogs are set to play No. 17 Arkansas on Saturday as they continue their Stegeman Coliseum homestand.