If you were looking for a victory lap in Athens this morning, I hate to be the bearer of bad news. Honestly, it was one of those games that leaves a pit in your stomach because it was right there. The Georgia Bulldogs lost to the Ole Miss Rebels 97-95 in a heart-wrenching overtime thriller.
It happened Wednesday night, January 14, 2026, at Stegeman Coliseum. Technically, if you're asking "yesterday" on Thursday, this is the one you're feeling. The Dawgs were sitting at No. 21 in the country, looking to protect home court, but the Rebels had other plans. It’s the kind of loss that makes you want to re-watch every single possession to see where it went sideways.
What Really Happened With the Georgia Bulldogs Yesterday
Most people expected Georgia to handle business. They came in ranked. They had the home-crowd energy. For the first twenty minutes, things actually looked pretty solid. The Dawgs went into the locker room at halftime with a 40-35 lead.
But the second half? Total chaos.
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Ole Miss found a rhythm that Georgia just couldn't disrupt. The Rebels dropped 52 points in the second half alone. It felt like every time Georgia made a big bucket, Ole Miss answered with a three or a tough layup. It wasn't just a lack of defense; it was a high-level offensive clinic from both sides.
The Overtime Heartbreak
When the buzzer sounded at the end of regulation, the score was knotted up. Stegeman was rocking. In overtime, it basically came down to who had the last bullet in the chamber.
- Final Score: Ole Miss 97, Georgia 95.
- The Difference: Georgia struggled with efficiency from the floor, shooting only 37.5% compared to Ole Miss's blazing 51.4%.
- The Silver Lining: The Dawgs were monsters on the glass, pulling down 16 offensive rebounds and 37 total.
You've gotta feel for the guys. They hit 15 three-pointers. Usually, when you hit 15 from deep, you win the game. But when you allow the opponent to shoot over 50% from the field, you're playing with fire. Eventually, they got burned.
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Why the Ole Miss Loss Still Matters
This wasn't just "another game" on the schedule. Entering mid-January, every SEC matchup is a resume builder or a resume killer. This one stung because Georgia was the favorite.
Looking at the box score, Patton Pinkins for Ole Miss was a problem all night. He finished with 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting. On the Georgia side, the effort was there—they took 72 shots! That’s a lot of opportunities. But only 27 of those went in. You just can’t win at this level shooting sub-40 percent, even with a massive advantage at the free-throw line where Georgia went 26-for-34.
Who Won the Georgia Bulldog Game Yesterday? (The Context)
It is worth noting that if you are a fan of the "GymDogs," the news is much better today. While the men's basketball team suffered that overtime loss, the No. 8 Georgia Gymnastics team is currently preparing for a massive Friday night showdown against No. 2 LSU.
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The momentum in Athens is a bit of a rollercoaster right now. The football season recently ended in the Sugar Bowl with a 39-34 loss to—guess who—Ole Miss. It seems the Rebels have had Georgia's number across multiple sports lately.
Actionable Insights for Dawg Fans
Don't throw in the towel on the basketball season just yet. Even with the loss, Georgia remains a dangerous team in the SEC. Here is how to keep up with the bounce-back:
- Watch the Arkansas Matchup: The Dawgs return to Stegeman Coliseum this Saturday, January 17, at 4:00 PM. This is a "must-win" to wash the taste of the Ole Miss loss out of their mouths.
- Focus on Field Goal Percentage: Keep an eye on the shooting splits in the first ten minutes. If Georgia isn't hitting at least 42% early on, it's going to be another long afternoon.
- Support the GymDogs: If you need a win to feel good about, the gymnastics meet against LSU on Friday night is the place to be. They are 1-0 and looking like a national title contender.
The loss yesterday was a setback, but in the SEC, the next chance for redemption is always just a few days away.