DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Kario Oquendo scored 15 points and Georgia posted a comfortable 66-53 victory over Saint Joseph’s at the Sunshine Slam on Monday night.
Oquendo made 4 of 10 shots, including a 3-pointer, and added five rebounds for the Bulldogs. Terry Roberts and reserves Jabri Abdur-Rahim and Justin Hill all scored 12.
Abdur-Rahim scored all his points in the first half to lead Georgia to a 38-15 lead at intermission.
Cameron Brown and Ejike Obinna combined to score 14 points in a 17-5 run to open the second half, and Saint Joseph’s closed to within 43-32 with 10:40 to play. Oquendo answered with a three-point play for the Bulldogs, who maintained a double-digit lead until Lynn Greer III hit two free throws to get the Hawks within 54-46 with 2:58 remaining.
Hill buried a 3-pointer for Georgia, Roberts scored in the paint and Matthew Moncrieffe hit two free throws to cap a 7-2 run that wrapped up the win.
Georgia improved to 4-1 in its first season under Mike White. White, who took over for Billy Donovan at Florida in 2015, left the Gators after last season to coach the SEC rival Bulldogs.
Obinna, Brown and Erik Reynolds II all scored 10 for the Hawks (2-2). Reynolds was coming off a career-high 32 points in a win over Albany, but he made 3 of 12 shots against Georgia.
Georgia will play UAB on Tuesday for the Beach Bracket championship, and Saint Joseph’s will take on South Florida in the consolation game.
