Terry Roberts and Kario Oquendo each scored a game-high 17 points to lead four Georgia players in double figures as the Bulldogs held off visiting Rider 78-72 on Wednesday in Athens, Ga.
Roberts shot 7 of 15 from the field, including 3 of 5 from 3-point range, while Oquendo hit 5 of 12 from the field to go along with four rebounds.
Georgia’s Jabri Abdur-Rahim chipped in 15 points, and Mardrez McBride added 11 points, four rebounds and three assists.
The Bulldogs (10-3), who have won six of their past seven games, led by as many as 20 points in the second half.
Georgia shot 26 of 58 (44.8 percent) from the field, including a red-hot 13 of 25 (52 percent) from 3-point range. Georgia scored 18 points off Rider’s nine turnovers, while the Broncs scored just nine off the Bulldogs’ nine miscues.
Rider (5-6), which has dropped two of its past three games after winning three straight, was led by Tariq Ingraham’s 15 points and seven rebounds. Mervin James added 14 points and a game-high eight rebounds, while Allen Betrand finished with 12 points and four rebounds.
The Broncs shot 30 of 69 (43.5 percent) from the field, including 4 of 17 (23.5 percent) from beyond the arc.
After James’ layup pulled the Broncs to within 40-34 with 18:36 remaining, the Bulldogs responded with an 18-4 run to take a 58-38 lead following Frank Anselem’s short jumper with 13:53 to go.
Trailing by 15 with 7:17 left, Rider cut the lead to 71-68 following Allen Powell’s jumper with 3:30 remaining. Abdur-Rahim responded with a 3-pointer for a six-point lead before James’ layup made it 74-70 with 1:51 left.
James’ tip-in trimmed the lead to 74-72 with 56 seconds left, before Braelen Bridges made two free throws for a 76-72 lead with 16.9 seconds left. After Ingraham missed with three seconds left, McBride secured the win with two free throws.
Georgia jumped out to a 10-0 lead just under five minutes into the game and stretched its advantage to as many as 12 points before the Broncs closed to within 37-30 at halftime.
–Field Level Media
