Kenny Gaines Leads Dawgs in Win Over Murray State, 63-52
By John Buhler
Kenny Gaines had a career high 35 points in the Georgia Bulldogs’ 63-52 win over the Murray State Racers Friday night at Stegeman Coliseum.
It was a miserable shooting day for both the Georgia Bulldogs and the Murray State Racers in this Friday night tilt in the Classic City. UGA was slightly worse from the field at .298 than Murray State at .304. The Georgia Bulldogs turned the basketball over 10 times to Murray State’s 9, but did out-rebound the Racers 47 to 37 in the contest.
While UGA HC Mark Fox opting to start Senior Houston Kessler over Junior J.J. Frazier in the starting lineup to go big could have been the story in Friday night’s game, it was the outstanding play from Senior Guard Kenny Gaines that got the Georgia Bulldogs their first victory of the season.
-= Related: Kenny Gaines: UGA’s Back Court Catalyst? =-
The UGA offense couldn’t hit the back side of a barn on the inside tonight. Their starting forwards of Sophomore Yante Maten, Junior Kenny Paul Geno, and Kessler went a combined 4-13 from the field. PG Charles Mann didn’t drain a field goal tonight (0-7). Frazier was an abysmal 1-11 from the field.
More from UGA Basketball
- Georgia Basketball: The Bulldogs Land Their Point Guard
- Amir Abdur-Rahim Strengthens Atlanta Flavor In Athens
- Georgia Bulldogs: The Problem And Promise Of Tom Crean In Athens
- Tom Crean New Head Man For Georgia Bulldogs Basketball
- Georgia Bulldogs: Mark Fox Dismissal Not Clear Cut
Fortunately for the Dawgs, the rebounding effort was extraordinary and Kenny Gaines carried the inert UGA offense on his back to victory tonight. Gaines was 10-18 from the field, 7-14 from three-point land, and 8-10 at the charity stripe. When Georgia needed a basket when Murray State made charges offensively late in halves, the Dawgs leaned on Gaines.
I’ve admired Gaines for his basketball savvy for years. He seems to always do the little things right that allows his teammates to play better. While Dawg Nation remembers fondly Frazier’s 30+ point game in Starkville as a true freshman and Mann’s innate ability to draw contact and live at the free throw line, I’ve been waiting for a game that Kenny Gaines proves that he’s the best player on the court. Friday night he certainly did that.
UGA needed a win badly tonight. Though Murray State doesn’t have Steve Prohm on the sidelines any more (he’s replacing Fred Hoiberg in Ames with the Big 12’s Iowa State Cyclones), the Racers entered Friday night’s game 2-0 and very much a solid mid-major program.
Next: Georgia Bulldogs Host Murray State Friday Night
With Georgia needing to play well in the non-conference to have a shot at an NCAA Tournament bid, it’s good to see the Dawgs on top at home against a respectable basketball program. Kenny Gaines and the Georgia Bulldogs will play their next game versus the High Point Panthers on Wednesday. Tipoff is at 5:00 PM ET at Stegeman. Coverage will air on ESPNU. Go Dawgs!