Russel Tchewa comes up clutch as Georgia tops LSU

Field Level Media|published: Wed 24th January, 21:03 2024

Jan 24, 2024; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs guard Silas Demary Jr. (4) dribbles against LSU Tigers guard Jalen Cook (3) during the first half at Stegeman Coliseum. credits: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Russel Tchewa made a decisive three-point play with two seconds remaining to complete his double-double and Georgia held off LSU 68-66 on Wednesday night in Athens, Ga.

Tchewa finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds, Silas Demary Jr. scored 15 and Noah Thomasson added 11 points for the Bulldogs (14-5, 4-2 SEC).

Jalen Cook scored 21 and Jordan Wright added 18 to lead the Tigers (11-8, 3-3), who trailed by eight points with less than four minutes remaining before making a charge.

Cook converted a three-point play that gave LSU its only lead of the second half, 66-65, with 16 seconds remaining before Tchewa took over.

Neither team scored in the second half before the Bulldogs' RJ Melendez made two free throws with 17:15 left. Demary added two free throws and Melendez made a dunk to give Georgia a 41-33 lead.

Will Baker's jumper provided the Tigers' first points of the second half with 15:46 left and Cook made two 3-pointers and Wright added two free throws to help LSU get within one point.

Jabri Abdur-Rahim answered with three free throws and the Bulldogs took a five-point lead before the Tigers tied the score at 50 midway through the half.

Thomasson scored seven points during an 11-2 run that gave Georgia a 61-52 lead with 5:48 remaining.

Wright made a free throw and added a dunk and got LSU within six points with 4:30 left.

Tchewa's layup pushed the lead to eight, but Jalen Reed's 3-pointer and Trae Hannibal's three-point play helped pull the Tigers within 65-63 with 2:03 remaining.

The score was tied at 10 and 15 before Thomasson's jumper gave the Bulldogs their first lead, 17-15.

The lead changed hands four times before Demary scored eight consecutive points to give Georgia a 29-23 lead.

Hunter Dean's dunk ended the run, but Demary answered with a 3-pointer to give the Bulldogs a seven-point lead, which was their largest of the half.

Cook made a 3-pointer and Mike Williams III added a 3-pointer that trimmed the lead to 35-33 at halftime.

—Field Level Media

Latest