The Georgia Lady Bulldog basketball team defeated the USC Upstate Spartans 67-53 on Tuesday night in Stegeman Coliseum to conclude a six-game home-stand.
Senior Stephanie Paul recorded a double-double in tonight’s win, recording 12 points and 11 rebounds. Her 11 boards led the team and set a new career-high. This was the third double-double of Paul’s career and the first since the Bulldogs played Presbyterian on Dec. 28, 2018.
Pacing Georgia in scoring was junior Gabby Connally with 16 points. Maya Caldwell was the third Bulldog to score in double-figures, finishing with 12 points.
“There were a lot of good things that we did, but of course there are also some things that we need to work on,” Georgia Head Coach Joni Taylor said. “I thought we responded very well in the third quarter. Our second quarter was not as good. We have to sustain the same intensity and the same execution that we started the game with. I thought Kaila Hubbard played very well. Stephanie [Paul] also played well.”
Georgia put up a strong defensive performance to open the game, holding USC Upstate to two points and zero field goals. The Bulldogs went on a 13-1 run over the last seven minutes of the period to lead 16-2 after ten minutes. Of the first 16 points, Caldwell accounted for eight while redshirt-junior Jenna Staiti tacked on the remaining six.
The Spartans bounced back in the second quarter, going on a 6-0 run to cut the Bulldogs’ deficit to four, 20-16.
While USC Upstate was able to get within three of Georgia, the Bulldogs held onto the 28-23 lead entering the locker room.
A three-pointer from Connally extended Georgia’s lead to double-digits, 42-30, with 4:18 remaining in the third quarter. A layup from Caldwell tied Georgia’s largest lead of the day, 14, as time expired in the third frame.
The Bulldogs continued to extend their advantage over the final ten minutes, never losing their double-digit lead. Georgia sealed the 67-53 victory after forcing two-straight USC Upstate turnovers as time expired.
Up next, Georgia will matchup against Butler on Friday, Nov. 29 at 11 a.m. in its first game of the Daytona Beach Invitational.