If you turned off the TV when the Dawgs were up by 19 early in the second half, you missed a classic heart-attack special at Stegeman. The final score of the Georgia game ended up being 90-76 in favor of No. 21 Georgia over No. 17 Arkansas, but honestly, that fourteen-point gap is a total liar.
It was Saturday, January 17, 2026. A packed house in Athens. Everything looked like a blowout until the Razorbacks decided to remind everyone why they were ranked in the Top 20.
The Scoring Surge That Almost Ruined the Party
Basically, Georgia was cruising. They led 55-36 with about 16 minutes left in the game. Then, the wheels didn't just come off—they disintegrated.
Arkansas went on this absolutely ridiculous 20-3 run. It wasn't just one guy, either. Darius Acuff Jr. started hitting everything he threw toward the rim. He finished with 20 points, but it was that five-minute stretch where he looked like Steph Curry that had Georgia fans sweating through their shirts. By the time he buried a three-pointer with 6:43 left, the game was tied at 68.
The silence in the arena was heavy.
How the Dawgs Clawed Back
Most teams would have folded after blowing a nearly 20-point lead. Instead, Jeremiah Wilkinson decided he’d seen enough.
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Wilkinson was the engine for Georgia all afternoon, finishing with a team-high 20 points. He didn't just score; he played like a pest on defense. When the game was tied at 70, he grabbed a crucial steal and turned it into a layup that finally broke the Arkansas momentum. Blue Cain followed that up with a couple of drives that felt like backbreakers.
Georgia closed the game on a 12-2 run. They didn't just win; they survived a massive haymaker from a very good Arkansas team.
By the Numbers: Why This Win Matters
- Jeremiah Wilkinson: 20 points, 4 steals, 4-of-10 from three.
- Blue Cain: 18 points, 8-of-12 from the field.
- Somto Cyril: A quiet but massive 18 points on a perfect 8-for-8 shooting night.
- Bench Scoring: This was the weird part—Georgia’s bench only chipped in 9 points. This was a "starters win" through and through.
It’s Georgia’s first Top 25 win of the season, and it moves them to 15-3 overall. For a team that started 14-0 but stumbled a bit in early SEC play, this was a statement. They proved they can handle the pressure when a lead evaporates.
Looking Back at the Sugar Bowl Heartbreak
We can't talk about the final score of the Georgia game without briefly acknowledging the literal "final" score of the football season that’s still stinging. Just a couple of weeks ago, on New Year’s Night, Georgia football fans watched a 39-34 loss to Ole Miss in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
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That game was a mirror image of this basketball game but with a worse ending. Georgia led 21-12 at the half in the Superdome. They fought back to tie it 34-34 with less than a minute left thanks to a Peyton Woodring field goal. But Lucas Carneiro nailed a 47-yarder with 6 seconds left to break Georgia’s heart.
The weirdest part? The very last play of that football game was a safety because a lateral went out of bounds through the pylon. Football is a cruel sport.
What’s Next for the Bulldogs?
The basketball team doesn't get much time to celebrate. They’re staying in Athens because the women's team is hosting No. 16 Ole Miss today, Sunday, January 18. It’s Alumni Day, and word is that legends like Andy Landers and Teresa Edwards are going to be in the building.
If you're tracking the final score of the Georgia game for the women's matchup, keep an eye on how they handle the Rebels' size. Georgia’s women are 15-3 right now, but they've struggled against ranked SEC opponents lately.
Actionable Insights for Dawg Fans
If you're betting or just following the trajectory of this season, here is what you need to keep in mind:
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- Watch the FT%: Georgia shot 17-of-22 from the line against Arkansas. That's 77.3%. In close SEC games, that is the difference between a win and a collapse.
- Somto Cyril’s Efficiency: If Cyril continues to shoot 100% (or even close to it) in the paint, teams are going to have to double him, which opens up those corner threes for Catchings and Wilkinson.
- The Ole Miss Factor: Across both football and basketball, Ole Miss has been a thorn in Georgia’s side this year. The women's game today is a huge opportunity to flip that narrative.
Keep your eyes on the SEC standings. With the way the men's team handled that Arkansas surge, they’ve proven they belong in the conversation for a high seed in the NCAA Tournament come March.