ATHENS, Ga. — In a regular-season finale showdown, Georgia secured a 79-68 victory over Vanderbilt on Saturday, achieving their fourth consecutive win. Dakota Leffew emerged as a standout performer, contributing all of his 14 points during the second half, with a crucial 10 points coming during a defining run.
This marked a milestone for Georgia (20-11, 8-10 SEC) as they reached 20 regular-season wins for only the sixth time in their 119-season history. The last instance of such success was in the 2014-2015 season, which was also the last time the Bulldogs made it to the NCAA Tournament.
The Bulldogs received important support from Silas Demary Jr. and Asa Newell, who both scored 15 points, along with Tyrin Lawrence contributing 13 points. On the Vanderbilt side, Jason Edwards led the effort with 24 points, shooting 7-of-11 from the field, while Chris Manon and Jaylen Carey each added 10 points for the Commodores (20-11, 8-10).
The game featured a dynamic turning point in the second half when James and Demary connected on back-to-back 3-pointers, igniting a 15-4 run that gave Georgia a double-digit lead at 58-48 with 13 minutes left on the clock. Although Vanderbilt mounted an 8-0 response, they then went scoreless for over six minutes. During this crucial period, Leffew made a significant impact by hitting a 3-pointer and scoring 10 of 15 consecutive points for Georgia. His offensive surge included a pivotal steal and layup, followed by another 3-pointer, which extended their lead to 73-56 with 4:25 remaining.
The first half of the game was intensely competitive, ending in a 39-all tie, and featured 11 lead changes and 10 ties. Edwards was particularly effective in the first half, securing 16 points, while Lawrence added nine. With the season now concluded, both teams finished tied for ninth place with Mississippi State and Arkansas. The stage is set as they head to Nashville, Tenn., for the conference tournament, set to begin Wednesday and run through March 16.