ATHENS, Ga. (Interstat) — Georgia used a decisive first-half run and a smothering defense to defeat visiting Winthrop 75-40 on Thursday in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game at Stegeman Coliseum. Georgia improved to 2-0, while Winthrop fell to 1-1. Attendance was 1,817. The Bulldogs opened their season with a 92-53 home win over West Georgia, and the Eagles began with a 57-46 home win over Newberry.

Dakota Howard led Georgia with 17 points, five rebounds, three assists and one block in 17 minutes. Milan Brown added 13 points, seven rebounds and one assist in 23 minutes. Blessing Adebanjo finished with 12 points and five rebounds in 16 minutes. Tyreona Sibley had eight points, five rebounds and three assists in 19 minutes. Jailyn Banks contributed three points, three rebounds and four assists in 23 minutes. For Winthrop, Ryiah Wilson had four points, three rebounds and two assists in 19 minutes. Laura Silva added seven points, two rebounds and one assist in 25 minutes. Marta Guilera scored two points and grabbed three rebounds in 14 minutes. Madison Bush-Lewis scored eight points and pulled down two rebounds in 23 minutes. Nya Smith scored nine points for Georgia in 28 minutes.

Georgia set the tone early. Howard opened the scoring with a layup, and Smith followed with a driving layup before Winthrop’s Bush-Lewis hit a 3-pointer. The Bulldogs answered with a layup by Aubrey Beckham and a 3-pointer by Smith to stretch their lead. After Guilera scored inside for the Eagles, Georgia got a layup from Jordana Codio, a layup and two free throws from Sibley, two free throws and a driving layup from Howard, and another driving layup from Smith. Winthrop’s Maya Robinson closed the first-quarter scoring with a 3-pointer, but Georgia led 21-11 after one.

The Bulldogs put the game further out of reach in the second quarter. Georgia opened the period with eight straight points, highlighted by free throws from Howard and a driving layup by Brown. Jordan Thomas made two layups in the period, and Adebanjo added a layup. Winthrop got a layup and a 3-pointer from Ella Wigal, but Georgia answered with a Howard jump shot and a Brown layup just before halftime. Georgia led 35-16 at the break. Winthrop committed 33 turnovers in the game, while Georgia finished with 15 turnovers. Georgia had 15 offensive rebounds to Winthrop’s two, and the Bulldogs recorded 25 assists on 27 made field goals.

Georgia kept control in the third quarter. Howard converted a three-point play, Banks hit a 3-pointer, and Brown scored on a driving layup and a pullup jumper. Georgia used a 14-3 run early in the period to push its lead to 52-19. Aubrey Beckham made two free throws, Bush-Lewis made two free throws, Wilson made a driving layup, and Tocarra Johnson hit a pullup jump shot and one free throw. Adebanjo added free throws and a layup as the Bulldogs extended their lead to 62-26 after three quarters. Winthrop received baskets from Madison Ruff and Johnson in the period, and Bush-Lewis made two free throws.

Winthrop played better in the fourth quarter. Silva made three free throws, a turnaround jumper and a pullup jump shot. Wilson added two driving layups, and Lucia Skvarekova scored twice inside. Summer Henderson made two free throws in the final minute for the Eagles. Georgia answered with a turnaround jumper from Smith, a floating jump shot and a driving layup from Sibley, and a driving layup by Alanna Beckham. The Bulldogs closed out the win despite being outscored in the final period.

Georgia shot 27 of 60 from the floor and 19 of 23 from the free throw line. The Bulldogs made 2 of 12 from three-point range, collected 15 offensive rebounds, handed out 25 assists and blocked two shots. Winthrop shot 14 of 36 from the field, 3 of 17 from three-point range and 9 of 13 from the free throw line. The Eagles had two offensive rebounds and seven assists. Georgia scored 75 points from 71 possessions and had an offensive rating of 105.7. Winthrop scored 40 points from 73 possessions and had an offensive rating of 54.7.

Howard, who had 18 points and four rebounds in Georgia’s season-opening win over West Georgia, was the Bulldogs’ top performer. Brown and Adebanjo provided support inside, while Sibley and Banks helped Georgia control the pace. Winthrop was led by Bush-Lewis and Silva, but the Eagles struggled to generate consistent offense against Georgia’s pressure. Georgia is scheduled to host Nicholls State next, while Winthrop is scheduled to host Johnson C. Smith.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Georgia 67, Winthrop 63. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Georgia with a 99.5 percent probability to win. Georgia had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 33. The total score of 115 went over the over/under line of 133.5.