Georgia Rally Falls Short at Vanderbilt

Bulldogs unable to complete comeback, lose fourth straight to Commodores

Feb. 26, 2026 at 2:24am

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The Georgia Bulldogs basketball team rallied from a 20-point deficit against Vanderbilt, tying the game at 66 with 8 minutes remaining, but ultimately fell short 88-80 on the road. Vanderbilt made 5 consecutive shots down the stretch to pull away for the victory.

Why it matters

Georgia had been on a 2-game winning streak and a win over Vanderbilt would have been a big boost for their postseason hopes. Instead, the loss drops the Bulldogs to 7-8 in SEC play and extends their losing streak against the Commodores to 4 games.

The details

Georgia fell behind early, trailing Vanderbilt 37-17 at one point, but closed the first half on an 18-5 run to cut the deficit to 42-35 at halftime. The Bulldogs continued their rally in the second half, tying the game at 62 with a 10-0 run, but were unable to take the lead. Vanderbilt then made 5 straight shots to pull ahead 75-70 with 5 minutes left, and Georgia could not regain the lead, failing to hit a field goal in the final 4:24 of the game.

  • Georgia trailed Vanderbilt 37-17 at one point in the first half.
  • Georgia closed the first half on an 18-5 run to cut the deficit to 42-35 at halftime.
  • Georgia tied the game at 62 with a 10-0 run in the second half.
  • Vanderbilt made 5 consecutive shots to take a 75-70 lead with 5:18 remaining.

The players

Jeremiah Wilkinson

Georgia's leading scorer with 28 points, including a 10-point burst in the final 5:25 of the first half.

Kanon Catchings

Georgia's second-leading scorer with 15 points.

Blue Cain

Georgia player who hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 62 in the second half.

Smurf Millender

Georgia player who entered the game averaging 12.2 points per game but only scored 2 points against Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt

The Commodores defeated Georgia 88-80 at home, improving to 22-6 overall and 9-6 in SEC play.

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What’s next

Georgia returns to action on Saturday afternoon when it hosts Texas at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens. Tip-off is set for 3:30 p.m.

The takeaway

This loss is a setback for Georgia's postseason hopes, as they were unable to capitalize on their recent winning streak and take down a tough Vanderbilt team on the road. The Bulldogs will need to regroup quickly before hosting Texas on Saturday as they look to get back on track in SEC play.