Tchewa Comes Up Big For the Dawgs with Game Winner to Beat LSU

Georgia Bulldogs pulls out a win at home to best LSU and improve to 4-2 in the conference.

Tatum Esparza | Jan 24, 2024

Tchewa Comes Up Big For the Dawgs with Game Winner to Beat LSU /

Athens, GA – To quote UGA coach Mike White in “Game of Intensity," the Georgia Bulldogs came out on top in a 68-66 home win against the LSU Tigers. With this win, UGA improves to 14-5 overall and 4-2 in conference. Meanwhile, LSU drops to 11–8 and 3–3 in the SEC.

LSU hit first with a 3-point jumper made by freshman guard Mike Williams III, assisted by junior guard Jalen Cook, within the first minute of play. UGA was able to answer back with a layup from Russel Tchewa less than 40 seconds later. The game would reach a tie three times in the first half, but LSU would hold its ground for 10:16 of the first period, with its lead peaking at 6 points with 12:44 left. Georgia would take its first lead of the game with 8:09 left after graduate student guard Noah Thomasson made a jumper to make the score 17-15. From there, the two teams would go back and forth, battling it out for the lead until the Dawgs went on an 11-2 run to peak their lead at 7 points with 2:24 left in the period. LSU would cut this lead, but UGA remained on top 35-33 when the half closed.

Jan 24, 2024; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Mike White (right) reacts with his players after defeating the LSU Tigers at Stegeman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports / © Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Out of halftime, both teams failed to score for over two minutes until junior guard R.J. Melendez went two for two shooting free throws for Georgia with 17:17 left. That was the start of a 6-0 run for the Bulldogs, in which Melendez would make a dunk assisted by freshman guard Silas Demary Jr. to take the score to 41-33, UGA, and get the crowd roaring. LSU responded with a 7-2 run that ended with 14:31 left and brought the game within 2 points. The Tigers tied the game at 50 a piece with 11:50 left. But, the Dawgs would go on an 11-2 run less than a minute and a half later to go up 61-52 with 5:48 left in the game. The Tigers outscored the Dawgs 10 to 3 over three minutes to close the gap to 2 points with two minutes left on the clock. Each team would go scoreless for over a minute and a half until Cook made a layup to tie the game 65-65 and a free throw after a Tchewa foul to put LSU up by 1 with 16 seconds left. After a Georgia timeout, a missed 3-pointer, and Stegman on their feet, Tchewa put together a layup and a free throw after a foul on his shot to put the Dawgs up 2 with two seconds left. The Tigers would miss a buzzer-beater 3-point shot, and the Dawgs would win the duel 68-66.

Along with his game-winning layup and free throw, Tchewa recorded his second double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds (4 offensive and 7 defensive). Demary Jr. lead the Dawgs in points with 15 and went 6 for 6 from the line. Cook was the leading scorer for the Tigers, putting up 21, and also led LSU in assists with 3. Senior guard Jordan Wright also had a big offensive game for the Tigers with 18 points, going 3 for 5 on 3-point attempts. The Dawgs finished shooting 43.1% from field goal range, 79.2% from the line, and 29.4% from 3-point range. In contrast, the Tigers went 38.6% for field goal range, 85.7% on free throws, and 85.7% from behind the arc.

When asked about what this win meant for momentum and to the team after coming off a battle last Saturday on the road at Kentucky, White said the win was “huge” and was an “emotional response” for the Dawgs. The Dawgs face Florida in a "tough environment” (White) on the road this Saturday at 12 PM EST.Other Georgia News:

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Published Jan 24, 2024

TATUM ESPARZA