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Vanderbilt stops Georgia, 61-39

Vanderbilt stops Georgia, 61-39

2/12/2004

Przybyszewski had 13 points, six boards and two blocks against Georgia.

Vanderbilt stops Georgia, 61-39
‘Dores limit UGA to 27 percent shooting

NASHVILLE — Vanderbilt defeated Georgia 61-39 on Wednesday night in Memorial Gym in front of a partisan crowd of 11,226.  Georgia’s 39 points are the fewest allowed by Vanderbilt since the 1993 campaign, when the Commodores defeated Mississippi State, 80-39.

Vanderbilt improved to 15-5 (4-5) and Georgia fell to 11-10 (3-6).

The Commodores were led by senior forward Matt Freije and junior center Dawid Przybyszewski, who scored 13 points each.  Przybyszewski also pulled down a game-high six rebounds.

Vanderbilt had a nose for the ball all game and forced Georgia into 18 turnovers.  Senior forward Scott Hundley provided the highlight of the game late in the second half off one of Vanderbilt’s ten steals when he finished it with a crowd-pleasing dunk.

The Commodores shot the bonus from the free throw line for the last 14 minutes of the first half.  Vanderbilt capitalized on their trips to the charity stripe early in the game, though, as they scored eight of their first 11 points from the line. 

Vanderbilt also got eight points off Georgia’s 10 first-half turnovers. The Commodores, who had only three turnovers in the first stanza, went on a 17-7 run over the final 10 minutes of the half to expand their lead.  Georgia did not make a field goal over the final 6:24 of the first half.

Sophomore forward Julian Terrell came off the bench and scored eight points in seven minutes of action in the first half. He finished the game with 10 points and three rebounds. 

Vanderbilt led 34-18 at the break.

The Commodores opened the second half of play with an 11-3 run.  Senior forward Matt Freije drained a three to spark the five-minute series, which also included two blocks by Terrell.  Sophomore guard Adam Payton recorded a steal and a slashing lay-up during the run.

Georgia answered with an 8-3 run of its own over the next four minutes, but it was not enough.  Freije ended Vanderbilt’s brief drought with two free throws and the Commodores sealed the win over the last five minutes.

Vanderbilt will be in action on Saturday, when it travels to Columbia, S.C., for a rematch with South Carolina.  Tip off is set for 6:30 p.m. Central time.