Newell scores 17, Georgia beats Grand Canyon 73-68 at Holiday Hoopsgiving
Georgia forward Asa Newell (14) scores during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Grand Canyon, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in Atlanta. Credit: AP/Kathryn Skeean
ATLANTA — Asa Newell scored 17 points, including a three-point play with 17 seconds left, to help Georgia beat Grand Canyon 73-68 on Saturday night at Holiday Hoopsgiving.
Somto Cyril finished 12 points, eight rebounds and five blocks for the Bulldogs. Tyrin Lawrence and Blue Cain scored 10 points.
Georgia (9-1) is off to its best start since winning 11 of 12 games to open the 2001-02 season.
Collin Moore hit a 3-pointer, Ray Harrison added two free throws and then stole the ball from Cain and fed Jakobe Coles for a layup that made it 66-63 with 1:32 remaining. Neither team scored again until Newell was fouled as he made a layup and hit the and-1 free throw in the closing seconds.
Harrison led the Lopes with 16 points, 11 in the final 10 minutes. He has 2,110 career points and his 1,220 at Grand Canyon are 14th most in program history.
Newell hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer that gave Georgia the lead for good midway through the first half.
Grand Canyon (6-3) scored the first eight points of the second-half, and the Bulldogs started 0-for-4 shooting with three turnovers to make it a one-possession game about 3 minutes in. Newell responded with a dunk, then blocked a shot, grabbed the rebound and went the other way for another dunk.
Grand Canyon guard Ray Harrison (0) reaches to put the ball in the net as Georgia forward Asa Newell (14) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in Atlanta. Credit: AP/Kathryn Skeean
Grand Canyon, which went in No. 5 nationally with 28 free-throw attempts per game, made 15 of 17 free throws. It was just the second time this season the Lopes have attempted fewer than 25.
