Athens, Ga. — Georgia closed out its regular season on a high note, securing a 79-68 victory over Vanderbilt on Saturday, marking the Bulldogs’ fourth consecutive win.
Dakota Leffew was instrumental in the second half, scoring all 14 of his points after the break, including 10 during a crucial stretch that helped Georgia pull away. The Bulldogs (20-11, 8-10 SEC) reached the 20-win mark in the regular season for just the sixth time in their 119-year history, a feat last achieved in the 2014-15 season—their most recent NCAA Tournament appearance.
Silas Demary Jr. and Asa Newell contributed 15 points apiece, while Tyrin Lawrence added 13 for Georgia.
Vanderbilt (20-11, 8-10) was led by Jason Edwards, who scored 24 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Chris Manon and Jaylen Carey each chipped in 10 points for the Commodores.
The game was tightly contested in the first half, which ended in a 39-39 tie after 11 lead changes and 10 ties. Edwards had 16 points before halftime, while Lawrence added nine for Georgia.
Georgia took control in the second half with a 15-4 run over five minutes, sparked by back-to-back three-pointers from Demary and Justin James, giving the Bulldogs their first double-digit lead at 58-48 with 13 minutes left. Vanderbilt responded with an 8-0 run but then went scoreless for over six minutes.
During that stretch, Leffew took over, draining a three-pointer and scoring 10 of Georgia’s next 15 points. His decisive sequence, which included a steal, a breakaway layup, and another three-pointer, extended Georgia’s lead to 73-56 with just over four minutes remaining.
With the victory, Georgia and Vanderbilt finished in a four-way tie for ninth place in the SEC standings, alongside Mississippi State and Arkansas.
Both teams now turn their attention to the conference tournament in Nashville, Tennessee, which begins Wednesday and runs through March 16.
