UGA trounces Wofford, 72-52, in 2013-2014 season opener

Feb 27, 2013; Nashville, TN, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Mark Fox during the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Memorial Gym. Vanderbilt won 63-62. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

Despite being a single-digit favorite (according to our pals in Las Vegas) against an unheralded opponent, Mark Fox and the Georgia Bulldogs didn’t mess around in delivering a decisive, 20-point victory over the Wofford Terriers.

Nemanja Djurisic led a balanced attack with 12 points and 7 rebounds, while Donte Williams (my personal favorite on this roster) and Kenny Gaines each scored in double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Djurisic is expected to carry a significant load as the leading returning scorer from last year’s team (farewell to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope), and he didn’t disappoint here, plodding along with a consistent effort.

The Bulldogs scampered to a 19-point lead at halftime before cruising to victory, but they did all they needed to do in the opening 20 minutes. For the game, the UGA defense held Wofford to just 38% shooting from the field, and that side of the ball was certainly the more impressive of the two in the season opener. That fact shouldn’t be exceedingly surprising, as the defensive often outshined the offense last year even with Caldwell-Pope in the fold, but this season, Mark Fox’s defense will be called upon for shutdown efforts on a consistent basis.

This was an intriguingly solid effort from the Dawgs, and while it would be reckless to glean too much from a game against an inferior opponent, nothing was lost here. The Bulldogs will square off with their down-the-street rival in the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets next Friday night, and we will learn much, much more about the Dawgs after that 40-minute ball game. Stay tuned.