ATHENS, Ga. — The University of Georgia Lady Bulldogs raced past the Georgia Southern Eagles 81-38 to improve to 8-4 on the season and 7-0 at Stegeman Coliseum.
Georgia earned the win on account of an energized style of play, edging GSU 29-8 in points off turnovers with 16 total assists. Sophomore guard Gabby Connally led all scorers with 22 points, a season-high for the San Antonio native.
“I think I played pretty well today,” Georgia sophomore guard Gabby Connally said. “My role on the team is to hit open shots and then when I moved to the point guard, just to get my teammates involved and making sure people are in the right spots.”
The Lady Bulldogs jumped out to an 18-7 lead in the first quarter, led by 9 points from Connally. Freshman guard Donnetta Johnson chipped in five points in her starting debut, and redshirt junior guard Taja Cole facilitated the offense, tallying five assists in the quarter.
Georgia extended the lead to double digits in the second period, capitalizing on a 12-15 clip from the foul stripe. Cole and Connally hit five and four free throws, respectively, towards a 34-19 lead at intermission.
In the third quarter, the Lady Bulldogs pushed the lead to 30 points by the end of the period, a 61-31 margin. Connally eclipsed 20 points for the second time this season on a 3-pointer from the wing, while Cole pushed the pace with 10 points in the quarter.
“I was really happy in the third and fourth quarter,” Georgia head coach Joni Taylor said. “Taja set the tone for us defensively and offensively. She was getting the ball to the right people. Gabby shot the ball well. Donnetta made some shots to start us off. There were some bright spots for us for sure.”
Senior forward Caliya Robinson nearly matched a season-high in the rebounding department, snagging her 14th rebound of the game in the fourth quarter. Shortly after, she sunk two free throws to secure her fourth double-double of the season. The Lady Bulldogs held Georgia Southern to a season-low 38 points towards an 81-38 final.
Next up, Georgia takes a break for the Holidays before returning to action on Dec. 28 against Presbyterian. The Bulldogs host the Blue Hose at Stegeman Coliseum for a 2:00 tipoff. The game will be broadcast online at SEC Network-Plus.