Georgia downs Charleston Southern to improve to 11-1

De’Shayne Montgomery scored 16 of his team-leading 22 points in the first half as Georgia went on to an 81-65 win over visiting Charleston Southern on Sunday in Athens, Ga.Dakota Leffew added 19 points for the Bulldogs (11-1), who won their sixth straight and matched their best start to a season since 2001-02. Asa Newell chipped in 14 points for Georgia, which shot 50.8 percent from the field and 50 percent (9-for-18) on 3-pointers.Taje’ Kelly led Charleston Southern (3-11) with 29 points and 10 rebounds, while Lamar Oden Jr. added 14 points for the Buccaneers, who dropped their fourth in a row.Trailing by 11 at halftime, Charleston Southern cut its deficit to 37-34 following an 8-0 run that was stamped with Oden’s 3-pointer. Newell then made a triple, followed by five straight points from Tyrin Lawrence to push Georgia’s lead back to 11 at the 16:33 mark.After Newell’s layup gave the Bulldogs a 51-42 edge, Kelly’s basket and Daylen Berry’s free throws pulled the Buccaneers within five with 12:53 left.Keenan Wilkins drained a 3-pointer to cut Charleston Southern’s deficit to six at the 10:13 mark, before Leffew scored seven points in Georgia’s 9-2 run as the Bulldogs pushed their lead to 68-55 with 7:52 remaining.Kelly scored the game’s next five points, but Georgia iced the game with an ensuing 13-2 run.

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