Trey Thompkins scores 23 points as Georgia beats Arkansas 77-64 in SEC tourney first round

Georgia beats Arkansas 77-64 in SEC tourney

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Trey Thompkins had 23 points and 14 rebounds, and Georgia beat Arkansas 77-64 in the opening round of the Southeastern Conference tournament on Thursday night.

Travis Leslie scored 21 for the Bulldogs (14-16), the No. 6 seed in the SEC East Division.

Georgia took a 43-32 lead immediately after halftime on a 3-point play by Jeremy Price.

Arkansas’ Mike Washington made all four free throws on back-to-back trips to the charity stripe to cut the Bulldogs’ lead to 52-49 with 10:22 left. The Razorbacks (14-18) continued to threaten in the second half but never pulled any closer.

The Bulldogs grabbed 17 offensive rebounds, nine more than Arkansas, and turned them into 19 second-chance points.

Washington finished with 20 points and Courtney Fortson added 16.

The Bulldogs will face the East’s No. 2 seed, No. 20 Vanderbilt, on Friday.

(This version CORRECTS APNewsNow. Georgia 77, Arkansas 64. corrects Georgia offensive rebounds to 17)