Georgia played a pretty good game against Kentucky – for about six minutes of each half. The other 28 minutes were fairly forgettable.
Taylor Echols, a junior walkon from McDonough, hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give the Bulldogs a 7-4 lead four minutes in. That was followed a short time later by a free throw from Charles Mann, which would give Georgia an 8-6 advantage at the 14:04 mark.
Trailing 34-22 at halftime, the Bulldogs cut that in half in the first four minutes. Nemi Djurisic made a 3-pointer to get it to 37-29, followed by a pair of Mann free throws that got Georgia within six at the 16:19 mark.
Other than that the game was a big blue haze for the Bulldogs. No. 14 Kentucky won 79-54 before a crowd of more than 23,367 at Rupp Arena.
Ten minutes after Mann’s fouls shots got Georgia within 37-31, the Bulldogs were down 24, 63-39. That’s a 26-8 run.
The fact that a walkon was in the game so early explains part of the problem for Georgia on Saturday. The Bulldogs were playing without two of their primary players. Sophomore Kenny Gaines, who starts at shooting guard, sat out with a bruised thigh suffered late in the South Carolina. His chief backup freshman Juwan Parker also missed the game with a hamstring pull.
Forward Nemi Djurisic, who normally comes off the bench, was inserted in the starting lineup, which included four forwards.
There was more attrition after tipoff. Donte Williams had to leave the game late in the second half after hitting his head on the floor trying to take a charge. And Brandon Morris, who led the Bulldogs in scoring with 12 points, limped off once after being kneed in the thigh but returned to finish the game.
Morris led the Bulldogs with 15 points and doubled his season total with two 3-pointers. Marcus Thornton added 10 points and nine rebounds for Georgia, which falls to 10-8 on the season and 4-2 in the SEC. The Bulldogs play host to Vanderbilt Wednesday at 7 p.m.
No. 14-ranked Kentucky (15-4, 5-1) improves to 116-26 in the all-time series against Georgia. Aaron Harrison led the Wildcats with 15 points Julius Randle added 14.
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