Hoop Hounds shake off island blues in home win

After a couple of tough losses and an underwhelming win in the Maui Invitational Tom Crean’s team returned to its high flying ways tonight with a 95-59 victory over the North Carolina Central Eagles.

The Dawgs played without forward Amanze Ngumenzi. It was announced just before the game that the sophomore had been suspended indefinitely for what Coach Crean described as “lack of personal awareness and attitude expected of a Georgia Bulldog basketball player.”

His absence didn’t slow down a Bulldog attack that got 21 points from Anthony Edwards and 19 from Rayshaun Hammonds. Hammonds added 9 rebounds to lead the team, and the Red and Black dominated the visitors on the boards, 54 rebounds to 25.

The visiting Eagles took a 9-8 lead with 14:25 to play in the first half, but it was their last lead of the game. An ensuing 13-0 UGA run put this one out of reach.

Georgia (6-2) scored 90 points for the fifth time this season. If nothing else the Hoop Hounds have done a great job this season of winning games they should and usually convincingly. A big victory over North Carolina Central doesn’t add appreciably to the tournament resume. But anything else would have hurt it.

The Athenians will take the court again on December 14th against Arizona State in Tempe.

Go ‘‘Dawgs!!!