ATHENS, Ga. (AP) -Billy Humphrey scored 17 points and gave Georgia a late lift with three baskets in a crucial two-minute span as the Bulldogs beat Vanderbilt 85-73 on Saturday.
Georgia led 67-65 when Humphrey started his hot streak with a layup with 5:36 left. He followed with a 3-pointer for a 72-65 lead. After Vanderbilt’s Dan Cage answered with a 3, Humphrey was good on another 3-pointer for a 75-68 lead with 3:41 left.
Levi Stukes, who led Georgia with 23 points, delivered a key steal from George Drake with 1:04 left when the Bulldogs led 75-71. The steal set up Stukes’ 3-pointer with 44 seconds left to push the lead to seven points.
Georgia (10-5 overall, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) outrebounded Vanderbilt 43-33 to compensate for the Commodores’ 13 3-pointers, including 10 in the first half.
Vanderbilt, coming off a last-second win over No. 16 Tennessee, played another tight game until the final minute.
Derrick Byars led the Commodores (11-6 overall, 1-2 SEC) with 23 points. Cage added 17 and Shan Foster had 10.
Dave Bliss added 10 points and eight rebounds for Georgia. Rashaad Singleton (four) and Takais Brown (three) combined for seven blocked shots for the Bulldogs.
Georgia led 40-39 at halftime. There were eight lead changes in the half as Vanderbilt made 10 of 16 3-point shots, including 5-for-5 shooting by Byars.
The tight back-and-forth pace continued in the second half. A steal and basket by Cage gave the Commodores a 61-60 lead, but a steal by Georgia’s Sundiata Gaines set up an easy lay-in by Terrance Woodbury for a 64-61 lead.
Georgia made 7 of 8 free throws in the final 34 seconds.
