Humphrey hoping to pull thorn from side in this year's NCAA tournament

ATHENS -- Tasha Humphrey is ready for her final college run before she takes her talents to the WNBA.

On Sunday, the former Gainesville High School standout and No. 9 seed Georgia (22-9) will take on No. 9 Iowa (21-10) in the first round of NCAA Tournament in Norfolk, Va. Tip off will be at approximately at 2:30 p.m.

This will be Humphrey's fourth trip to the tournament. In her three previous trips, the Lady Dogs have not made it past the Sweet 16. Obviously, Humphrey wants to go much further than that this year.

"Being at the University of Georgia for four years and never winning that national championship, I guess you can call it a thorn in my side," Humphrey said. "Our team knows the severity of the task at hand, and we are excited about it. I think it is going to be a difficult road but no team's route to the national championship has ever been easy. I think with it being my last year, if we do lose I can't say 'well, maybe next year.'"

The former Red Elephants standout has been a star ever since she set foot in Athens. In her first season, she was named 2005 co-National Freshman of the Year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. She has gone on to score over 2,000 points while picking up a laundry list of accomplishments.

Humphrey is three-time All-American and earlier in the month was named to the first-team All-SEC team for the fourth straight year. Only eight other players have been first-team All-SEC four times.

"It means you are awfully good, and it means you have been consistent against people that knew you were coming after them," Landers said. "You don't sneak up on anybody in conference play. Everybody in the league knows who Tasha is and is geared up to try to stop her and she still ends up first or second in the league in scoring."

About the only stain on Humphrey's record was an arrest for underage possession of alcohol before her junior season. Humphrey was originally suspend for six games because of the offense, but Landers reduced the punishment to five games after he saw that Humphrey understood that she had to be a role model for her teammates and fans.

The suspension certainly has not put a damper on Humphrey's perception of her Georgia tenure.

"It has been a really enjoyable experience for me," Humphrey said. "Last year I had a few bumps in the road as far as the arrest thing but I have enjoyed it a lot. The people have been great. Playing here has been great and the fans have been great."

Humphrey's mother, Brenda Hill immersed her daughter in the world of competitive basketball ever since she born.

One of Humphrey's earliest memories was watching her mother play professional basketball in Brazil in the 1980s.

Hill was standout player at East Hall High School before she went on to a successful collegiate career at Auburn, eventually finishing up at North Georgia College & State University in Dahlonega in 1987. Hill went on to have a successful five-year professional career, playing for teams in Sweden, Brazil and Italy.

"That was my first memory of basketball, just watching her play and falling in love with the game. At that point forward I said 'I wanted to be great like my mom.'" Humphrey said

This season Humphrey is again the leader of the Lady Dogs, leading the team in points and rebounds. She averages 17.1 points and nine rebounds per game. Humphrey has been solid from the free-throw line too, shooting 79.8 percent.

With her talent, Humphrey is a sure bet to be chosen in the first round of the WNBA draft, which will take place on April 9. And while she is thankful for the opportunity to play professionally, she is well aware that the Atlanta Dream is set for its inaugural season.

"Atlanta would be nice just because I am from Georgia and I went to the University of Georgia," Humphrey said. "I think that would be special, but just to be able to play in the WNBA would be a dream come true. It has always been my aspiration growing up to be able to play professional basketball."

Even with a professional career on the horizon, Humphrey's focus is on working with her Georgia teammates to finish out the season strong.

"I think with the talent we have on our basketball team, we have the talent level to do a lot of great things," Humphrey said.

-- The 2008 Associated Press All-Southeastern Conference women's basketball team released Tuesday, with name, school, position, height and class (u-unanimous choice to first team):

FIRST TEAM
u-Candace Parker, Tennessee, F-C, 6-4, Jr.
u-Sylvia Fowles, LSU, C, 6-6, Sr.
Quianna Chaney, LSU, G, 5-11, Sr.
DeWanna Bonner, Auburn, G, 6-4, Jr.
TASHA HUMPHREY, Georgia, F, 6-3, Sr.

SECOND TEAM
Marshae Dotson, Florida, F, 5-11, Jr.
Alexis Hornbuckle, Tennessee, G, 5-11, Sr.
Christina Wirth, Vanderbilt, G-F, 6-1, Jr.
Erica White, LSU, G, 5-3, Sr.
Shannon Bobbitt, Tennessee, G, 5-2, Sr.
Demetress Adams, South Carolina, F, 6-4, Jr.
Ashley Houts, Georgia, G, 5-6, So.
Shawn Goff, Ole Miss, C, 6-3, Jr.

HONORABLE MENTION
Sarah Elliott, Kentucky, C, 6-6, Sr.; Reneisha Hobbs, Auburn, G, 5-10, So.; Samantha Mahoney. Kentucky, G, 5-10, Sr.; Jennifer Risper, Vanderbilt, G, 5-9, Jr.; Brittney Vaughn, Arkansas, G, 5-7, Sr.