Resurgent Dogs' odds rising

ATHENS — Yante Maten still has life in his Georgia career. Sodoes Mark Fox. Their Georgia men’s basketball team, assumed done for aweek ago, is trying towork its way back into the thick of things.

Georgia got its second straight win, and its third this year over a ranked team, this time 73-62 over No. 18 Tennessee on Saturday night at Stegeman Coliseum.

The Bulldogs (15-11 overall, 6-8 in the SEC) now head for the fifi na lt wow eeks of the regular season with fl fleeting postseason hopes still alive. They appeared done this time last week but bounced back fifirst with an upset win at Florida and then another NCAA tournament résumé win Saturday.

Maten did his usual part. But, as with Georgia’s other big wins this year, he had help from key players. Andthe biggest two were bench players.

Derek Ogbeide had a double-double, making a number of put-backs and grabbing numerous key rebounds, both of ff ff ff ff ff fens ive and defense.

Tyree Crump hit several key 3s down the stretch. He also grabbed the rebound in the fifinal minute that basically sealed the win.

Three who mattered

Maten: The senior forward also moved to sixth on Georgia’s all-time list forfifield goals, passing Alec Kessler.

Ogbeide: The junior forward, coming offff the bench again, had a great game underneath. Ogbeide was responsible for a number of put-backs, saving several keypossessions for the Bulldogs. And his threepoint play stemmed a Tennessee run with just over fifififififive minutes left.

Crump: The sophomore guard also came off ff the bench and played extensive minutes, especially down the stretch. He hit two keys 3s, one tomake it 57-51 and the next to give UGA a 62-54 lead with just under two minutes left.

Turning point

Georgia, after leading since early in the game, was on the verge of losing the lead with about six minutes left. Tennessee missed several shots and committed a turnover. On the other end Ogbei de made a layup while being fouled and fifinished with the free throw. Then Crump buried a 3, and Ogbeide added a put-back to make it 59-51. Tennessee didn’t ever get back within one possession.

Observations

Lineup: Georgia used the same starting lineup — with two freshmen forwards — for the third straight game. It was the third straight start for Ray shaun Hammond sand the fourth straight for Nicolas Claxton. But Ogbeide and Crump, who have started this season, have continued to star offff the bench.