ATHENS – It’s time for Georgia fans to learn how to spell K-e-n-t-a-v-i-o-u-s, and while they’re at it N-e-m-a-n-j-a.
As tentative a first step as the Georgia Bulldogs took Friday night – testing their ground after early NBA departures of Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie -- they got some reassurances from freshmen Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Nemanja Djurisic.
Caldwell-Pope, a McDonald’s All-American, scored 13 of his 15 points in the first half of a 62-49 win over Wofford in his Bulldog debut, and Djurisic scored eight key second-half points in his.
Together they ushered in Mark Fox’s third season as Georgia’s coach with a little fresh air, despite low expectations for the season and not much in the way of inside presence.
Caldwell-Pope helped the Bulldogs establish the early momentum and a nine-point half-time lead, before they could find some footing under the basket. After getting zero points and only four shots from their post players in the first half, Georgia used three baskets in a three-minute stretch from its post players to hold off a charging Wofford.
“I didn’t expect us to be a thing of beauty with as many new pieces as we have offensively,” Fox said. “…It’s a win and certainly a good experience for team.”
Djurisic, the 6-foot-8 native of Montenegro, scored eight points in 13 minutes after sitting the entire first half, a decision Fox said he made based on stronger practices by Marcus Thornton and Donte Williams.
Djurisic came on to hit two big baskets in transition to build Georgia’s lead back up to nine points 51-42 with 4:50 left. The Terriers had closed to within three points, 33-30, with 14:15 to go.
Wofford is no longer the senior-laden mid-major which made back-to-back NCAA tournaments. The Terriers returned only one starter from last year’s team in Brad Loesing and he eventually wore down. He went 5-for-15 from the floor while playing 39 minutes.
Georgia post players were 7-for-16 for 17 points combined in the second half. After being outrebounded by 10 in the first half, the Bulldogs outrebounded Wofford by 12 in the second half to finish with a 40-38 edge.
“The big guys will be fine once we start jelling and getting more games under their belt and they’re more comfortable with the system,” senior guard Dustin Ware said. “Bright lights got them a little bit.”
Caldwell-Pope, a Greenville High product, started the first game of his freshman year and immediately showed up as the most active Georgia player without the ball. He did a few dynamic things when he got it too.
He scored 13 points in the first half, via lay-up, dunk, free throw and 3-point shot. He also did his own impression of Leslie, on a steal and two-handed dunk to help Georgia retake the lead 15-13.
Caldwell-Pope missed his first two shots, both from 3-point range, before taking a closer look on a wide open lay-up off a feed from Sherrard Brantley. From there, he scored 13 points in the last 13 ½ minutes of the first half.
“I was a little uptight and nervous because it was the first big game and it counted,” said Caldwell-Pope, who scored six points on a 2-for-9 night in an exhibition against Morehouse a week earlier. “But I kept playing, running up and down the court and it just went away.”
He took 11 of Georgia’s 30 first-half shots as only three Bulldogs scored, all from the perimeter, along with the returning senior backcourt of Ware and Gerald Robinson.
Wofford gave Caldwell-Pope more defensive attention in the second half and held him scoreless until he made two free throws with 42 seconds left.
The win over Wofford was a nightcap in Georgia’s first basketball doubleheader at Stegeman Coliseum since 2003.
The Georgia women defeated TCU 83-60 on a career-night from Anne Marie Armstrong. The Wesleyan graduate came off the bench to score a career-high 22 points against the team she beat on a 25-footer with one second to go last season. Armstrong, who also tied a career-high with eight rebounds, gave a nice inside-out answer for the graduation of Porsha Phillips, the only lost starter for the 13th-ranked Lady Bulldogs.
“This is just the start for Anne Marie,” said senior guard Meredith Mitchell, who had her fourth career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. “I think she’s going to have a big year.”
Sophomore guard Khaalidah Miller scored 14 of her 17 points in the first half, while making four of seven 3-pointers as the Lady Bulldogs won the long-range shootout in the first half and led 45-31 at halftime. Jasmine James finished with nine assists and eight steals.
The Lady Bulldogs won their 20th straight home-opener, and 10th of their last 11 season-openers, home or road.
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