WBB: Georgia vs. Tennessee Preview

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WBB: Georgia vs. Tennessee Preview

Jenna Staiti

#22/23 Georgia Lady Bulldogs (16-4, 8-4 SEC) vs. #21 Tennessee Lady Vols (13-5, 7-3 SEC)

Sunday, Feb. 21 | noon ET | Stegeman Coliseum | Athens, Ga.

Watch: SEC Network (Tiffany Greene and Steffi Sorensen)

 

 

 

 

Watch LinkClick Here

Listen: Georgia Bulldogs Sports Network (Jeff Dantzler)

*960 AM The REF, WXKT 103.7 FM in Athens or via the Georgia Bulldogs App

 

 

 

 

Women’s Basketball Fan Attendance Policy

– Due to social distancing protocols, Stegeman Coliseum will be operating at a reduced capacity of approximately 20% with ticket opportunities in blocks of two or four seats only. 

– Fans will be required to wear face masks at all times while in Stegeman Coliseum.

– No fans are allowed on the court level of Stegeman.

– All seating is reserved for the 2020-2021 women’s basketball season.

– Tickets are mobile  for the 2020-21 season. Tickets for Sunday’s game ARE still available. Visit www.georgiadogs.com/tickets to purchase a mobile ticket.

Opening Tip Storylines

• Georgia is back home to host the Tennessee Lady Vols in a marquee SEC battle this Sunday at noon ET. The game will be televised live on the SEC Network. 

• The Lady Bulldogs overcame a 17-point second-half deficit to defeat the Lady Vols 67-66 earlier this year at Thompson-Boling Arena, marking Georgia’s first win in Knoxville since 1996. The Lady Bulldogs are looking for their first season sweep of Tennessee since the 1984-85 campaign. 

• Georgia has exceeded expectations once again under head coach Joni Taylor. After being picked ninth in the SEC preseason coaches poll, the Lady Bulldogs are in fourth place and have already eclipsed last season’s SEC win total. Georgia has finished higher than its preseason prediction in four of five seasons under Coach Taylor and is on pace to do so again. 

• The Lady Bulldogs are the top defensive team in the league as the only squad to rank in the top-5 of the conference in every defensive category. Georgia is first in scoring defense (59.3 ppg), second in blocks (6.2 per game), third in field-goal percentage defense (.369) and 3-point field-goal percentage defense (.270) and fifth in steals (9.1 per game). 

• All-SEC nominee Que Morrison is finally healthy in her senior season and has been playing her best basketball. Morrison — a nominee for SEC Defensive Player of the Year — leads the SEC with 2.4 steals per game against conference opponents. 

• Morrison has also stepped it up offensively this season. She enters Sunday’s game having scored in double figures in five-straight contests for the first time in her career. 

• With 61 total blocks and 3.1 per game, senior center Jenna Staiti is tied with South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston as the SEC’s blocked shots leader.  

• Steady Staiti has scored in double figures in 25 of her last 29 games dating back to last season. She is one of only seven SEC players to rank in the top-15 of the league in rebounding and in the top-20 in scoring. 

• The Lady Bulldogs committed a season-low 10 turnovers in the win at Missouri last Sunday. In fact, Georgia has set new season lows in two of the last three games after committing a then season-low 13 at Alabama on Feb. 4.

Series Breakdown

Overall: Tennessee leads, 51-18

In Athens: Tennessee leads, 14-10

In Knoxville: Tennessee leads, 23-5

Neutral Sites: Tennessee leads, 14-3

Current Streak: Georgia has won three of the last five meetings

Last Meeting: Georgia won 67-66 (1/14/21) in Knoxville

Largest Margin of Victory: Georgia won, 78-51 (1/17/00)

Largest Defeat: Tennessee won, 102-43 (1/28/98)

Last Meeting: Georgia 67, Tennessee 66 (1/14/21)

Georgia was down 40-25 at the half, but came out of the locker room with a new lineup that proved to turn the tide against the Lady Vols. Georgia outscored Tennessee 29-9 in the third period, before holding off the home team in the fourth. 

Senior guard Que Morrison was the catalyst that turned things around for Georgia. She knocked in a trio of 3-pointers in the second half and finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and four steals. 

“First of all, Tennessee is an outstanding team and we knew it was going to be tough to come in here and win,” head coach Joni Taylor said. “In the second half, we went with who we thought was going to give us the most energy. When we play as many players as we play, it sometimes takes time to figure out. I think tonight was big for our team because it shows them we can play with the best. It also showed us why it is so important to get off to a good start and the importance of coming out strong from the tip.”

 

 

 

 

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