Auburn falls late at UGA

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ATHENS, Ga. -- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope recorded game-highs of 20 points and 10 rebounds to lead Georgia to a 57-49 victory over Auburn in Stegeman Coliseum on Wednesday.

The Tigers shot 28 percent from the floor, 4-of-20 from three-point range and 15-of-27 from the foul line.

Allen Payne and Frankie Sullivan led Auburn with 13 points each but both were a combined 7-of-20 from the floor and 3-of-10 from 3-point range. Chris Denson scored six of Auburn’s first nine points and ended with 12 points in his first start since Dec. 29 vs. No. 12 Illinois.

"It's been that way the last four or five games," Auburn head coach Tony Barbee said of the Tigers' shooting woes. "When you shoot 28 percent, you are not going to beat anybody. You are not going to beat anybody at home, and you are not going to beat anybody on the road.

"I didn’t think we executed very well. We didn't turn it over much, but we didn’t execute like we normally do. Shooting 15-of-27 from the (free throw) line isn’t going to cut it either."

Auburn raced out to a 9-4 lead four minutes in, but Georgia used a 9-1 run to take a 16-13 lead with 8:52 left. After Payne hit his second 3-pointer for Auburn’s final lead of the game at 20-18 with 4:05 to go, Georgia scored eight straight points to take a 26-20 lead, capped by a Sherrard Brantley 3 with 1:36 left in the half.

Sullivan made 2-of-3 foul shots with :00.4 left as the Tigers trailed 26-22 at halftime.

Auburn missed 12 straight shots in the second half but only trailed 34-31 with 11:14 left. Sullivan made 1-of-3 free throws to tie the game at 43 with 4:52 to play. Georgia scored five straight points for a 48-43 lead with 2:59 left on a Charles Mann layup and Donte' Williams layup and free throw.

The game was close the entire was with neither team leading by more than six points until Georgia pulled away with free throws in the final minute for the winning eight point margin.

Auburn fell to 8-12 overall, 2-5 in the SEC while Georgia improved to 9-11 and 3-4.

Georgia shot 44.2 percent from the floor, 4-of-17 from 3-point range and 15-of-26 from the foul line. Auburn only committed 11 turnovers to Georgia's 16, but it only resulted in a 12-11 advantage in points off turnovers. The Bulldogs outrebounded the Tigers 38-33 and had a 22-6 edge in bench points.

Auburn closes out its five out of seven game stretch on the road at No. 17 Missouri on Saturday at 12:47 pm Central on the SEC Network.