Georgia Lady Bulldogs vs. Furman Paladins

Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015 | Stegeman Coliseum | 11 a.m. ET

TV: SEC Network + (Matt Stewart, PBP; Christi Thomas, Analyst)

Radio: Georgia Bulldog Radio Network by IMG (Jeff Dantzler, PBP)

Live Stats: GeorgiaDogs.com (Click Here)

Twitter: @UGA_WBB

 

ATHENS, Ga. — Riding a seven-game win streak and fresh off a victory against No. 21 Seton Hall on Sunday, the Georgia Lady Bulldogs basketball team returns to Stegeman Coliseum on Tuesday to host Furman. Tip time is set for 11 a.m. ET.

Elementary school children from around the Athens area will be in attendance to cheer on the Lady Bulldogs, with Tuesday’s game tabbed as Elementary School Day. See below regarding important information for Tuesday’s game.

 

Important Parking/Game Information

Due to Elementary School Day, fans need to park in the South Campus Parking Deck, located by the Georgia Center. Fans can show their game ticket when exiting the deck to receive free parking.

Season ticket holders will be asked to sit in sections E,F and G. General admission tickets for Tuesday’s game are $1. Hot dogs will also be on sale for $1 throughout the game.

 

Opening Tip — Five Things To Know

– Georgia has won seven-straight games this season under first-year head coach Joni Taylor. UGA’s only loss came at No. 23 Michigan State. The Lady Bulldogs, who are 10-0 vs. Furman all-time, are 6-0 at home this season.

– Georgia has won 53-straight non-conference home games dating back to the 2008-09 season. UGA’s last loss at home vs. a non-conference opponent came against Xavier in a 56-44 loss on Dec. 30, 2008.

– Senior guards Shacobia Barbee and Tiaria Griffin are leading the Lady Bulldogs this season. Barbee is averaging nearly a double-double with 12.7 ppg and 9.6 rpg. Griffin leads the team in scoring with her 16.1 ppg.

– Barbee, who has 977 career points, needs just 23 to reach the 1,000-career point mark. She would be the 37th Lady Bulldog all time to reach the 1,000-point milestone, joining teammate Tiaria Griffin, who accomplished the feat earlier this season.

– The Lady Bulldogs currently rank second in the SEC (13th nationally) in scoring defense, holding opponents to 51.2 ppg.  Each of Georgia’s nine opponents have shot below 40 percent, while the Lady Bulldogs have committed fewer turnovers in eight of nine games this season.

 

A Georgia Win Would … 

– Improve Georgia’s win streak to 54-straight over non-conference opponents in Athens.

– Be the Lady Bulldogs’ eighth-straight win of the season.

– Improve Georgia’s record to 9-1 under new head coach Joni Taylor. Her 8-1 record through nine games represents the best start by any UGA women’s basketball coach — either full-time or part-time — in school history.

– Be Georgia’s 11th-straight win all time against Furman. The Lady Bulldogs have not lost to Furman in a series that dates back to 1975.

 

Series Information 

Overall: Georgia leads, 10-0

In Athens: Georgia leads, 6-0

In Greenville:  Georgia leads, 3-0

Neutral Sites:  Georgia leads, 1-0

Current Streak: Georgia, 10-straight

Last Meeting: Georgia W, 58-51 (12/20/14)

 

Scouting Furman 

–  The Furman Paladins returned three starters and seven letterwinners off a team that finished 19-14 overall a season ago. Among the returnees is guard Whitney Bunn, who was 2014-15 First Team All-Southern Conference selection. Holi Wilkins currently leads the team in scoring with her 14.5 ppg, while teammate Cierra Carter avereges nearly a double-double with 11.8 ppg and 8.4 rpg. Wilkins has hit 62 percent (13-of-21) of her shots from behind the arc this season. Furman, who enters the game with a 5-3 record, is holding teams to just 57.8 points per game.

 

Last Time Out

Behind strong scoring efforts from seniors Shacobia Barbee and Tiaria Griffin as well as stellar defensive play in the second half, the Georgia Lady Bulldogs scored a victory over No. 21/22 Seton Hall by a 70-52 final Sunday afternoon at Stegeman Coliseum.

The Barbee-Griffin tandem combined for 34 points and 15 rebounds, spurring the Lady Bulldogs to victory after trailing 33-30 at the half. On the defensive end, Georgia held the Pirates to only 4-for-25 from the field in the second half, including a third-quarter lockdown performance that held the Pirates to just 1-for-12 from the field as the home side pulled away. The Lady Bulldogs also put on a clinic on the boards, winning the rebounding battle 49-36, including a career-best nine for Marjorie Butler. The win was the first for Georgia over a ranked opponent of the season.

 

Georgia Notebook

 

Lady Bulldogs Take Down Undefeated, No. 21 Seton Hall

– Georgia’s 18-point win against Seton Hall on Sunday represented the Lady Bulldogs’ largest margin of victory against a ranked team since UGA defeated No. 22 LSU, 71-53, on March 8, 2013 at the SEC Tournament in Duluth, Ga. That 2012-13 team went on to advance all the way to the NCAA Elite 8.

– The quality win against Seton Hall paid off for the Lady Bulldogs, who received 37 votes in this week’s AP Top-25 Poll.

 

Leading Lady Dogs

– Georgia leads or is near the top of the SEC in several statistical categories through nine games this season. The Lady Bulldogs rank first in the SEC in assist/turnover ratio, overall assists, rebounds and least amount of turnovers per game. See a complete breakdown below:

Stat Category, Actual Numbers, SEC Rank, NCAA Rank

Assist/Turnover Ratio – 1.46 ratio, 1st (SEC), 10th (NCAA)

Assists – 158 total, 1st (SEC), 8th (NCAA)

Rebounds – 388 total, 1st (SEC), 17th (NCAA)

Fewest Turnovers Committed – 12.0 per game, 1st (SEC), 10th (NCAA)

Scoring Defense – 51.2 ppg, 2nd (SEC), 11th (NCAA)

 

Barbee Stealing The Show

– Lady Bulldog senior guard Shacobia Barbee is the current active career steals leader (6th nationally) in the Southeastern Conference with 236 through three and a half seasons, including 25 so far during the 2015-16 campaign — a total that is also tops in the SEC. She is averaging 2.78 steals per game (No. 2 in SEC) and has recorded two or more steals in every game this season.

 

Griffin Making Her Mark From The Arc

– Senior Tiaria Griffin, who currently ranks seventh in Georgia history with 170 career 3-point baskets, is the current SEC leader in made 3-point field goals this season with 24 — a total that ranks 15th nationally. Griffin needs just five made 3-pointers to move into sixth place on Georgia’s all-time list.

 

Robinson Has Strong Start To Rookie Season

– Georgia freshman forward Caliya Robinson has had a strong start to her freshman season in Athens. The Marietta, Ga., native scored the first double-double of her career last week vs. Kennesaw State with her 17 points and 10 rebounds against the Owls. Robinson is currently the Lady Bulldogs’ leader in blocked shots with nine total this season. In three games last week, she averaged 7.7 ppg and and 5.3 rebounds per contest.

 

Hempe Making A Difference

– Senior forward Merrit Hempe, who has recorded three double-doubles through nine games this season, is not only making her mark on the court but she is also playing a pivotal role in the community. Hempe has been nominated for the 2016 AllState WBCA Good Works Team for her efforts off the court.

– The Fredericksburg, Va., native participates in numerous community service efforts, including Special Olympics Homeruns for Hometown Rivals baseball game, Toys for Tots, writing Holiday cards for deployed soldiers, helping provide safe routes to school by partnering with Barrow Elementary, providing toiletries collection for the homeless, visiting Stroud Elementary throughout the year to encourage and mentor children, is an Alzheimer’s Walk Volunteer, and Ath-Half Volunteer, and volunteers as a AAU coach and operations staff member during May. The 2015-16 Good Works Team will be released in February.

 

Books And Basketball For Butler

– Georgia senior point guard Marjorie Butler is busy preparing for medical school as she completes her senior season. She entered college with over 50 hours of college credits, and is currently going through medical school interviews. The Knoxville, Tenn., native already has a degree in exercise science and will graduate with a second degree in biology.