Georgia Fights Back but Falls Short Against Texas A&M in High-Paced SEC Battle
ATHENS, Ga. - Georgia found itself in a deep hole early but clawed back to make it interesting before ultimately falling to Texas A&M, 92-77, Saturday afternoon at Stegeman Coliseum. The Bulldogs, now 16-6 overall and 4-5 in SEC play, showed plenty of fight, but the Aggies (17-4, 7-1) flexed their experience and physicality late to seal the deal.
This one was a tale of two halves - and really, two mindsets. Georgia came out flat, and Texas A&M pounced.
The Aggies built a 20-point lead in the first half, putting the Bulldogs on their heels. But Georgia didn’t fold.
They responded with urgency, cutting the deficit to just three before halftime behind a pair of clutch threes from Marcus “Smurf” Millender. That late surge gave the home crowd something to rally behind, and it gave Georgia a shot.
In the second half, the Bulldogs kept pushing. Dylan James, who had himself a night with 13 points and a career-high 13 rebounds, made it a one-point game with a fast-break layup and a free throw.
The energy was there. The momentum felt real.
But Texas A&M never lost its composure. The Aggies leaned on their physical defense, deep rotation, and relentless tempo to pull away in the final minutes.
Offensive Balance, Defensive Grit
Despite the loss, Georgia had five players score in double figures - a sign that this team has weapons. Jeremiah Wilkinson led the way with 17 points and added a career-best seven rebounds and two blocks. Blue Cain and Kanon Catchings chipped in 14 apiece, while James had his double-double and Millender contributed 12, including those key threes that sparked Georgia’s first-half comeback.
In the paint, Georgia actually outscored A&M 44-34, which speaks to how aggressive the Bulldogs were attacking the rim. But outside shooting told a different story. Georgia went just 7-of-28 from three - a cold performance that head coach Mike White didn’t shy away from addressing.
“We got off to an awful start,” White said postgame. “I don't remember being down that much that early in a game.
Our fans helped us, we had our chances, but Texas A&M was better. That’s why they’re winning the league.”
White pointed to shot selection and defensive rebounding as areas that need cleaning up. “We go 7 of 28 from three, and I'd like maybe half of those back,” he admitted. “When you're playing from a large deficit, sometimes emotions can get the best of you.”
Mentality Matters
For all the X’s and O’s, this game also came down to mentality - something the players acknowledged postgame.
Junior guard Blue Cain didn’t sugarcoat the slow start: “I just think they came out with more urgency than we had.”
As for his own shooting struggles from deep in SEC play, Cain stayed even-keeled. “It’s a law of averages.
Eventually they’ll go in. I’m staying confident, staying aggressive.”
Dylan James, who brought a noticeable spark, said he felt the team needed an energy boost - and he took it upon himself to provide it. “It was do or die this game,” James said. “I came out to give it all I had and try to empty the tank.”
That kind of mindset is what Georgia will need to bottle moving forward. James also stressed that energy can’t just come from the crowd - it has to come from within. “It’s nobody's responsibility but our own to come out there and bring our own energy.”
Texas A&M Shows Why It’s a Contender
On the other side, Texas A&M showed why it’s sitting near the top of the SEC standings. Head coach Bucky McMillan praised his team’s toughness and conditioning, especially in the final stretch.
“We thought if we could get this game to the last five, six minutes, we would play really well,” McMillan said. “It took a total team effort… and we ran away with it at the end.”
That’s exactly what happened. While Georgia made runs and cut into the lead multiple times, A&M never panicked. They leaned on their depth, pace, and defensive pressure to close things out.
What’s Next
Georgia now turns its focus to a road matchup with LSU next Saturday, February 7, before returning home to face Florida on Wednesday, February 11. With SEC play heating up and the margin for error shrinking, this stretch will test the Bulldogs’ resilience and growth.
The good news? This team doesn’t quit.
The bad news? They can’t afford any more slow starts.