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Commodore Comeback Defeats Georgia, 66-59, In Overtime
2/27/2005
ATHENS, Ga. — Sophomore guard Dee Davis scored a game-high 18 points, including seven in overtime, to spark No. 19 Vanderbilt (21-6, 10-4 SEC) to a 66-59 victory in overtime over No. 18 Georgia (21-8, 9-5 SEC) in the final regular season game for both teams. Ashley Earley posted her 13th double-double of the season and ninth in SEC play and hit the game-tying basket at the end of regulation to force overtime.
Carla Thomas added 17 points and eight rebounds. Earley scored 14 points and grabbed 15 rebounds – 11 coming in the second half. Abi Ramsey scored nine points and now needs four points to become the 25th player in VU history to reach 1,000 points.
Davis and the Commodores were fortunate to even get to overtime as they trailed 54-48 with just over two minutes remaining in the second half. Davis scored a bucket at the 1:24 mark and Earley made a layup just under one minute later to pull the Commodores within 54-52. After VU forced a Georgia turnover, Vandy got the ball with back 22 seconds left in the game. Davis ran the clock down and found Earley on the right wing. After she couldn’t get the ball inside to Thomas, she lost it, regained control and hit a jumper from the right corner at the buzzer to force the extra session.
In overtime, it was all Vanderbilt as it scored the first four points and never looked back. Davis hit a three-pointer and she and Thomas combined for seven free throws down the stretch to secure the win.
Sherill Baker scored 13 points and Tasha Humphrey added 11 with 10 rebounds for Georgia, which shot just 2-of-8 (25 percent) in overtime and 37 percent for the game.
Georgia tied the game at, 42-42, after a turn-around jumper from Humphrey at the 8:39 mark. The Bulldogs then scored nine straight points to build their largest lead, 51-42, with 4:18 left in regulation. Vandy then closed the game on a 12-3 run sending the game into overtime.
The Commodores used a 6-2 at the start of the second half to extend their lead to 31-22 with after Thomas converted two free throws with 17:51, but Georgia rattled off a 7-0 run. Chambers, Alexis Kendrick and Humphrey each had a basket. Baker completed a three-point play pulling the Lady Bulldogs within 31-29 with 15:11 to go. After a lay-up from Dee Davis gave the ‘ Dores a 34-30 lead, Georgia used a 6-2 run tying the game, 36-36, with 12:38 to go. Williams knocked down her second three-pointer to put the ‘Dores ahead, 39-36, at the second media timeout of the second half.
Vanderbilt used a 5-0 run after the final media timeout of the first half to go ahead 25-20 at halftime. The Commodores shot 40 percent in the half led by Thomas, Earley and Ramsey, who each scored six points in the half. VU held Georgia to a woeful 23.1 percent in the first half and forced the Lady Bulldogs into nine turnovers.
Georgia led early 4-0 after baskets from Humphrey and Baker in opening two minutes, but Ramsey hit three-pointer and Thomas and Earley added baskets tying the game, 7-7. The game was then tied at each of the next three media timeouts, 11-11, 13-13 and 20-20, before the 5-0 run gave VU the halftime lead.
With the win, Vanderbilt wrapped up the No. 3 seed in this week’s SEC Tournament and will await the winner of the game between No. 6 seed Mississippi State and No. 11 seed Arkansas Friday night at 9:15 p.m. (EST)/8:15 (CST).
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