Bulldogs Hold Off Saints, Take 87-53 Victory
ATHENS, GA –
The North Georgia men’s basketball opened the season Friday
evening at the University of Georgia, trailing by 25 at the half
before the Bulldogs pulled away down the stretch and defeated the
Saints 87-53 in both team’s exhibition openers in Stegeman
Coliseum.
In what is the beginning of a new era for Georgia basketball in
Athens, first-year head coach Mark Fox pleased the fans in Stegeman
Coliseum, coming out with pressure defense and a fast paced offense
in the second half to hold off the Saints for the victory.
North Georgia never led in the game, falling behind early as the
Bulldogs jumped on top with a 13-2 run to open the game, capped by
a free throw by Trey Thompkins to give Georgia an 11-point
lead.
Bernard Rimmer gave the Saints an early spark, scoring four of
team’s first six points, including a break-away dunk with
10:57 remaining in the first half to pull the Saints to within nine
points at 17-6.
Rimmer’s dunk woke up the Georgia offense and sparked a 19-8
run by the Bulldogs over the next eight minutes. UGA would extend
their lead to 25 at the half as Ebuka Anyaorah knocked down a pair
of free throws with one second remaining in the period to create
the halftime advantage.
The Bulldogs came out firing early in the second half, using a
13-2 run capped by a fastbreak layup from Travis Leslie at the
15:33 mark to give Georgia a 58-22 lead, but the Saints answered
right back in the following possession as Carl Tayler knocked down
a three-pointer to cut the UGA lead to 33.
North Georgia ended the game on an 11-7 run, but the Bulldogs held
on for the 87-53 victory, picking up a victory in both team’s
first exhibition of the season.
In the much-anticipated opening to the season for North Georgia,
the Saints had nine players score, while shooting 33-percent from
the floor and 29-percent from behind the arc.
Tyler Norman made his North Georgia debut in the game, scoring a
team-high nine points on 2-8 shooting from the floor, while
knocking down his only three-point attempt and recording a pair of
steals. Rimmer and Taylor had eight points apiece, while Kindall
Butler had seven points on 3-7 shooting from the field.
North Georgia returns to action Saturday, November 14, traveling
to Kennesaw State University to take on the Owls in the
Saints’ final exhibition of the year and the team’s
second of three NCAA Division I opponents during the 2009 season.
North Georgia will also travel to Johnson City, Tennessee, the
second week of December to oppose East Tennessee State University.
