Georgia Falls Just Short in Overtime Thriller Against Tennessee
ATHENS, Ga. - For the Georgia Bulldogs, Wednesday night was another chapter in a season filled with close calls and extra basketball. This time, it was an 86-85 overtime heartbreaker at home against the Tennessee Volunteers - a game that had just about everything except the result Georgia was hoping for.
Sophomore forward Kanon Catchings led the way with a season-high 22 points, showing poise and confidence in the clutch. Jordan Ross added 19, and Smurf Millender chipped in 10, including the game-tying layup that sent things to overtime. But in a game that featured 10 lead changes, it was Tennessee that made just enough plays down the stretch to escape Stegeman Coliseum with the win.
A Fight to the Finish
Let’s start with the final sequence. Down three with 15 seconds left in overtime and the ball in hand, Georgia had a chance to tie it.
Head coach Mike White drew up a play designed to get Blue Cain downhill or free up Millender off a misdirection pin-down - a set that’s worked well for them this season. But Tennessee’s defense, which had been switching more aggressively all night, snuffed it out.
The Bulldogs couldn’t get a clean look from deep, and the Vols held on.
That final possession was emblematic of the night: Georgia put itself in position, but just couldn’t quite finish the job.
Bench Brings the Juice
One of the bright spots? Georgia’s bench.
The Bulldogs got 32 points from their reserves - a massive contribution compared to Tennessee’s 10. That kind of depth has been a strength all season, and it nearly tipped the scales in this one.
It’s also worth noting that Georgia turned the ball over just six times - tying their season low - and shot over 50 percent from the field against one of the top defensive units in the country. That’s no small feat. Tennessee came into the game ranked among the elite on that end of the floor, and Georgia still found ways to generate quality looks.
The Rebounding Problem
But here’s where things unraveled: rebounding. Specifically, defensive rebounding.
Tennessee pulled down a staggering 26 offensive boards - a number that simply can’t happen if you’re trying to close out a game in the SEC. Georgia, by contrast, had 27 total rebounds. That’s a glaring disparity, and one that ultimately proved too much to overcome.
Head coach Mike White didn’t sugarcoat it afterward.
“It’s tough to overcome 26 offensive rebounds when you give that up,” White said. “Despite those numbers, we still had a chance in overtime - which shows we were flying around and doing some good things.”
White acknowledged that defensive rebounding has been a season-long issue, and while the team’s first-shot defense has been solid, it doesn’t matter if you can’t finish the possession.
Junior guard Jordan Ross echoed that frustration.
“They had 26 offensive rebounds. We had 27 total.
That’s ridiculous,” Ross said. “The fact we went to overtime with that being the rebounding numbers is crazy.
That says something about our team - both bad and good. We’ve got to fix it.
We will fix it.”
Another Overtime Battle
This was Georgia’s fourth overtime game of the season - tying a program record. The Bulldogs have now played four OT contests in a single season eight times in school history, with the last coming in 2012-13. It’s a stat that speaks to how competitive this team has been, but also how close they are to turning these tight games into wins.
Building on the Positives
Despite the loss, there were plenty of encouraging signs. Georgia played with energy and toughness, especially on the defensive end. The Bulldogs also moved the ball well, finishing with 11 assists to just six turnovers - a ratio any coach would take in a heartbeat.
They also showed they can hang with one of the SEC’s most physical teams. Tennessee is known for its size and grit, and Georgia matched that intensity for most of the night. If not for the rebounding gap, this one might’ve ended with a different story.
Sophomore Kanon Catchings, who continues to grow into a key piece for this team, said it comes down to accountability.
“Everybody has to do their job,” Catchings said. “Every practice we focus on rebounding. We just have to do our job.”
Looking Ahead
The Bulldogs won’t have much time to dwell on this one. Texas A&M is up next, and as Catchings put it, every game in the SEC is a big one.
“Just play hard and figure out how we can win the next game,” he said.
Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes had high praise for the Bulldogs and their head coach after the game.
“Just so much respect for Mike White,” Barnes said. “He’s truly one of the best coaches in the country. That’s a really hard team to prepare for because he’s going to get the most out of his guys.”
Georgia may have come up short on the scoreboard, but the effort, execution, and growth were all there. If they can clean up the glass and continue to lean on their depth, this team still has the tools to make noise in the SEC.