Jeremy Price didn’t need anyone to say anything to him.

Price’s expanded role for the Bulldogs was obvious and necessary, as the junior logged 33 crucial minutes in Saturday’s 66-61 win over South Carolina.

The junior had to play a big-time role for Georgia due to senior center Albert Jackson sitting out of Saturday’s game due to an arrest for a hit-and-run in June 2008.

“He knew,” Coach Mark Fox said. “I didn’t sit him down and tell him.”

Added Price: “I felt like I needed to pick up the slack and help out in scoring and on the defensive end. I knew I needed to step in and play that part with Albert missing.”

Heading into Saturday’s contest, Jackson and Price were each averaging 17.9 minutes, but Jackson had the starting role. So 33 minutes were “a lot of minutes” for Price.

Price not only stepped up in Jackson’s absence, but he carried Georgia for portions of the second half, recording a season-high 16 points and 7 rebounds.

On a night Georgia struggled for offensive output, 10 of Price’s points came in the second half at a position Georgia’s received little offense from this season. Price looked like the SEC All-Freshman player he was just two years ago.

“It’s a big confidence builder. I knew I missed some shots, and I struggled a little bit,” Price said. “I mentally almost lost it a little bit, but I had to fight through that and come back and keep my head up and keep my chin up.”

Added Fox: “Jeremy didn’t play a perfect game, but he finished a lot of plays and got some key rebounds for us and was a big part of the win. On a night when the ball wasn’t really going in, Jeremy’s play was critical.”

Forward Jeremy Price played 33 minutes against South Carolina, 16 minutes more than his season average, posted 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds in Georgia’s 66-61 win over the Gamecocks Saturday. Photo by Daniel Shirey.

Surprisingly, it was Price who came up the biggest when Georgia needed it the most. The 6-foot-8 forward scored seven of his 16 points in the final six minutes, which helped bring Georgia back from a 10-point second-half deficit.

Down four with just under two and half minutes to play, Price cleaned up a short, Ricky McPhee 3-pointer, capitalizing on the offensive rebound for a layup. Price then drew a foul in the process, and converted on the three-point play to bring Georgia within one.

Just a minute later, the 62 percent free throw shooter sealed the go-ahead points for Georgia, knocking down two critical free throws to seize the lead.

“He was huge,” guard Dustin Ware said. “He really carried us a little bit in the second half and came in and played well right from the start, rebounding, hitting free throws, making big tough shots, and just a guy that helped lead us tonight.”

The Decatur native sits one spot ahead of starter Jackson in points per game with 6.9 and rebounds per game with 4.3. And though Price’s stellar performance may have come as a surprise to fans — and even to South Carolina — but it certainly wasn’t a surprise to his teammates.

“There was no doubt in my mind,” Ware said. “The guy’s a big time player, that’s what he does.”