Silas Demary’s 26 points help Georgia thrash Texas in NCAA bubble clash

Silas Demary Jr. scored a season-high 26 points as Georgia dominated from the jump in an 83-67 win over stumbling Texas on Saturday in a near do-or-die Southeastern Conference matchup for both teams in Austin, Texas.

Both teams are projected to be on the bubble to earn an appearance in the NCAA Tournament but only Georgia played like it, ambushing the Longhorns early and cruising to the win, its second straight after losing four games in a row, all to teams ranked in the Top 25.

The Bulldogs (18-11, 6-10 in the SEC) led by 17 points at halftime and by 27 six minutes into the second half. Texas finally found its stride over the game's final 10 minutes but still never got closer than 14 points.

Blue Cain added 13 points, Dakota Leffew had 11 and Asa Newell scored 10 for the Bulldogs. It was Georgia's first conference road win of the season and just its second true road victory of the 2024-25 campaign.

Arthur Kaluma led the Longhorns with 15 points while reserve Jayson Kent added 14 and Jordan Pope had 10 for Texas (16-13, 5-11 SEC), which has dropped three straight games and six of its past seven.

Texas' Tre Johnson, the leading scorer in the SEC, was limited to 12 points, nine of them in the first half. Johnson didn't attempt a shot from the floor after halftime.

The Bulldogs roared out of the gate, building a 9-2 lead after a 3-pointer by Demary at the 15:30 mark of the first half. Texas closed to within a point after a three-point play by Johnson with 12:19 to play before Georgia responded with a 7-0 run, capped by an Asa Newell layup with 10:37 remaining in the half.

The Bulldogs stretched their lead to double digits on Demary's layup with 8:47 left, then to 16 points when Godfrey produced a three-point play five minutes later and to 38-19 after Cain hit a pair of free throws with 3:42 remaining until halftime. Georgia took a 46-29 lead into the break.

Cain led all scorers with 13 points before halftime while Demary added 10 for the Bulldogs. Georgia outshot the Longhorns, 56.7 percent to 40 percent, over the initial 20 minutes of play.

--Field Level Media