The numbers don't add up to a Georgia win.
Mike White's Bulldogs shot less than 30 percent in Wednesday night's game against Mississippi State. Georgia committed 18 turnovers, scored just 20 points in the first half, and made less than a quarter of its 3-pointers.
But in a game that White described as "unique," Georgia (12-4, 2-1 SEC) still found a way to pull out a 58-50 win over Mississippi State (12-4, 1-3) at Stegeman Coliseum.
"We talked to them in postgame in the locker room. It’s a step," White said. "A step for us is winning a hard-fought, physical, tough-nosed, gritty game versus a team that just gets after you."
Both teams struggled to shoot all night. Mississippi State converted on just 29.5 percent of its shot attempts overall. That's the lowest number by a Georgia opponent in a conference game since South Carolina shot 27.1 percent in 2018.
Georgia, meanwhile, won while shooting under 30 percent for the first time since the Bulldogs accomplished the feat twice in the 2015-16 season.
In the first half, the two teams combined to shoot 12-of-57 from the field. Georgia held a slim 20-19 lead at the break.
"We knew it was going to be a hard-fought game from the jump," forward Braelen Bridges said. "Coach said hit first. That was a big thing for us coming into the game. They like to impose their will on teams and be physical, so we knew we had to be physical with them in order for us to win."
The nip-and-tuck battle continued into the second half, with the lead repeatedly changing hands.
Georgia got a large contribution from guard Justin Hill. The junior went scoreless in the first half, but scored 12 points in the final 20 minutes. Each of his three made field goals gave Georgia the lead.
"Just if you feel like you’re open, shoot it. If you feel like it’s a good shot for you, just really have the confidence," Hill said. "I feel like we’re a pretty good shooting team, so if we just keep doing what we’re good at, they’re going to fall eventually."
With 3:45 left to play, the two sets of Bulldogs were tied at 45 apiece. Georgia didn't make a field goal for the rest of the game, but it went a perfect 14-of-14 at the free-throw line over that stretch to secure the 58-50 win.
Free throws played a large role in the night's result. Overall, Georgia went 25-of-31 at the line. Mississippi State went 7-for-22 on its free throws.
"We shoot free throws every day," Bridges said. "If we don’t make 80 percent, we run. That’s a big thing for us. Free throws are a big key."
The win makes Georgia 2-1 in SEC play for the first time since the 2017-18 season. This win came a little differently than some of the others this season, but White sees that as a sign of progress in a building program.
"We played really well against Auburn. This was a different performance for our guys," White said. "That’s a step in the right direction, not only for this team but for our program. The next step is at some point, we’ve got to break through on the road."
News and Notes
- Georgia committed 18 turnovers, matching the second-highest total of the season.
- Bridges recorded his 1000th career point and 500th career rebound in the game.
- Georgia has now won 10 straight games at Stegeman Coliseum. That matches a stretch in 2007-08 for the fifth-longest home winning streak in program history.
- Guard Kario Oquendo went scoreless on 0-of-3 shooting in 16 minutes of action. He went down with an injury in the first half. White said Oquendo is fine and just had an off night.
"He’s a culture guy. He’s got a great attitude," White said. "He’s as fired up as anyone in our locker room that Georgia won, that he and his teammates won. He’s a big piece of what we’re building. He’ll be ready to go at practice tomorrow."
- Georgia returns to action on Saturday with a road trip to Ole Miss. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on SEC Network.
