COLUMBIA, S.C. - Two weeks ago, No. 22 Georgia was out of the rankings, frustrated, angry and not ready to make its mark in the Southeastern Conference.
Look what a few victories can do.
The Lady Bulldogs (21-7, 8-3 Southeastern Conference) won their fourth straight game, 55-41, over South Carolina on Thursday night and now get ready for a showdown with No. 3 Tennessee on Sunday.
``In January we lost a couple of games and that didn't sit well with people,'' Georgia coach Andy Landers said. ``We probably got caught up complaining and suddenly we lost four or five more.''
Georgia went through a 4-7 stretch starting with a 65-55 loss at Xavier on Jan. 6 and ending with a 63-57 defeat by LSU on Feb. 10.
Landers reminded his team not to get caught up in a misfiring offense and focus on playing solid defense. Eventually, he said, the points would come.
Landers was right. Georgia has surged the last two weeks and can enter the SEC and NCAA tournaments with a big shot of momentum if the Lady Bulldogs can beat the Lady Vols.
``Should be a lot of fun,'' Landers said smiling.
Angel Robinson had 16 points and Megan Darrah 13 for the Lady Bulldogs. Their production was critical since South Carolina (14-14, 3-10) locked down on star Tasha Humphrey.
Humphrey, who entered as the SEC's third-leading scorer as 17.7 points, finished with four baskets and 11 points.
``Having three or four people contribute offensively adds balance,'' Darrah said. ``And that's what we've been missing.''
Georgia continued its dominance over South Carolina, beating the Gamecocks for the eighth straight time and running its all-time mark against them to 27-4.
Darrah said the Lady Bulldogs put aside the grumblings that came from too many losses in a program accustomed to challenging for SEC crowns and dug in on defense. ``We were holding teams at or below their scoring averages,'' Darrah said. ``Now, we're finally starting to click offensively.''
That will be put to the test against the defending national champion Lady Vols.
Georgia has lost its last six overall to Tennessee and hasn't beaten the Lady Vols in Athens since 2000.
Darrah thinks if the Lady Bulldogs can limit their turnovers, they have a chance at the season-ending upset. ``Because defensively, I know we're going to be there,'' she said.
The Gamecocks continued a run of futility against the country's best teams.
South Carolina has lost its last 19 games against ranked opponents, since a 79-61 victory over No. 14 Minnesota on Dec. 13, 2005.
Brionna Dickerson led South Carolina with 11 points.
Despite ending with 10 or more conference losses in three of the past five seasons, Gamecocks coach Susan Walvius is focused on the postseason. South Carolina finishes Sunday at Kentucky, needing a victory to guarantee the .500 mark necessary to qualify for the WNIT.
``That's what we have to do so we're going to do it,'' she said.
Georgia took some time to find its rhythm, missing six of its first eight shots. But after falling behind 8-4, the Lady Bulldogs outscored South Carolina 30-9 the rest of the period.
And that was with Humphrey held to two baskets and 5 points.
Georgia took control with Darrah's shooting and some strong defense.
South Carolina went nearly eight minutes with one field goal. The Gamecocks committed 14 turnovers in the half as Georgia continued jumping in front of entry passes.
When the Lady Bulldogs had the ball in the first half, it was usually Darrah who finished. She hit 4 of 5 baskets, three from behind the three-point arc, and topped her season's average with 11 first-half points.
Wednesday
October 23rd, 2024
10:14PM
