ATHENS – Georgia forward Mackenzie Engram made rounds on social media when she called out UGA students for its lack of support for the Lady Bulldogs.
“Dear UGA Student Body,” She wrote in a Jan. 30 tweet. “Your women’s (basketball) team is currently 19-2 & ranked No. 17 in the nation & we don’t get HALF the support y’all give our boys team…think that could change? Idk just a thought.”
Engram said after the game that her tweet was not meant to be taken as too serious. But after UGA’s performance on Sunday, it should be.
Engram and the rest of the Lady Bulldogs backed up her words by erasing an early 7-0 deficit and coming back to win 69-45 over Ole Miss.
The Lady Bulldogs made their first four shots of the second half and took the lead for good after a 20-8 third quarter run. Despite trailing at the half, the Lady Bulldogs exploded in the third and fourth quarters, outscoring the Lady Rebels 38-15 in the second half.
The fans showed up, too.
“It’s just awesome to have such a great crowd on a Sunday,” Engram said. “We feed off their energy, and it’s always good playing at home in front of a good crowd.”
Despite it being Super Bowl Sunday and the weather cold and rainy, fans came out in droves to support the Lady Bulldogs, who notched win No. 20 for the season.
“I think they’re the best fans in the country,” UGA head coach Joni Taylor said. “The crowd we had today, I think it was over 4,000. For that to be the case on Super Bowl Sunday, it’s amazing.”
“If we handle our business, then all that comes, and that’s the conversation we continue to have with our team.”
Engram herself finished with 17 points, while guard Caliya Robinson led the Lady Bulldogs with 18 points. The Lady Bulldogs held Ole Miss to its lowest point total of the season since a 45-point outing against Mississippi State. The two accounted for more than half of UGA’s final score.
“[Engram] and Caliya both can shoot the basketball,” Taylor said. “[Engram] ran the floor, she posted up, she got rebounds. I think that’s really a sign of maturity on her part.”