Field Level Media
Jan 25, 2022
Aaron Cook scored 15 points and Georgia rallied from a nine-point, second-half deficit to end an eight-game losing streak with an 82-76 victory over visiting Alabama on Tuesday in Athens, Ga.
Jabri Abdur-Rahim scored 13 points, which included 10-for-11 shooting from the free-throw line, while Braelen Bridges also scored 13 and Kario Oquendo added 11 points and seven rebounds for Georgia (6-14, 1-6 SEC).
While the Bulldogs shot just 44.6 percent (25-for-56) from the field, including 8 of 23 from beyond the arc, they were terrific from the free-throw line, where they made 24 of 30 (80 percent). Georgia went 20-for-23 at the free-throw line in the second half.
Jaden Shackelford scored a game-high 20 points, including making six of his nine attempts from beyond the arc, while Keon Ellis had 15 points and nine rebounds for Alabama (13-7, 4-4).
Alabama shot 43.5 percent (27-for-62), including 9 of 34 from 3-point range, but made 13 of 20 (65 percent) from the free-throw line.
Georgia took a 69-68 lead on Bridges' jumper with 3:24 left and extended it to 72-68 on Abdur-Rahim's two free throws with 2:22 left. Alabama cut the lead in half on JD Davison's layup but the Bulldogs pushed it back to a four-point advantage on Bridges' two free throws with 1:33 to play.
After an Alabama turnover, Abdur-Rahim sank a pair of free throws to earn a 76-70 lead with 1:23 left and help put the game away.
As the final seconds ticked off the clock in the Bulldogs' first SEC win of the season, Georgia's fans at Stegeman Coliseum started chanting "Just Like Football!," referring to Georgia's 33-18 victory over the Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff title game earlier this month.
The Bulldogs opened the second half on a 12-6 run to tie the game at 48 following Cook's 3-pointer with 15:45 to go. But Ellis scored on Alabama's next three possessions to give the Crimson Tide a 54-48 lead with 13:01 left.
Alabama closed the first half on a 12-5 run to take a 42-36 lead at intermission, which it stretched to 45-36 less than 90 seconds into the second half.
--Field Level Media