WBB Preview: Georgia vs. Missouri

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WBB Preview: Georgia vs. Missouri

Jenna Staiti
Jenna Staiti

#24/25 Georgia Lady Bulldogs (15-4, 7-4 SEC) vs. Missouri Tigers (7-8, 3-7 SEC)

Sunday, Feb. 14 | 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT | Mizzou Arena | Columbia, Mo. 

Watch: SEC Network (Sam Gore and Tamika Catchings)

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

Opening Tip Storylines

• Georgia heads to Columbia, Mo., to take on the Missouri Tigers at 2 p.m. ET Sunday inside Mizzou Arena. The game will be carried live on the SEC Network. 

• The Lady Bulldogs own a 6-2 record away from Stegeman Coliseum this season. Georgia has recorded three league road wins against Auburn, Tennessee and Alabama. 

• Georgia is ranked No. 21 in the NET, No. 24 in the Associated Press Poll and No. 25 in the Coaches Poll. 

• Missouri has won the last two meetings between these programs. Georgia’s last win in Columbia came in 2016 — a 65-50 triumph against the Tigers. 

• A week after committing a season-low 13 turnovers in a victory at Alabama, the Lady Bulldogs totaled a season-high 28 turnovers in a 20-point win against Auburn. 

• Georgia was aided by a strong shooting effort against the Tigers, totaling a season-best 10 made 3-pointers in Thursday’s win.   

• Senior guard Que Morrison is finally healthy and playing perhaps her best basketball. Morrison — the reigning SEC Co-Player of the Week — has scored in double figures in four consecutive games for the first time in her career. The Riverdale, Ga., native scored a career-high 25 points, with 19 of those coming in the second half, at Alabama. 

• Morrison — a 2020 SEC All-Defensive Team selection —  is one of the top all-around players in the conference. She ranks in the top-15 of the SEC in assists, steals and assist-to-turnover ratio and routinely guards the opponent’s top player night-in and night-out.  

• Senior guard Maya Caldwell is coming off the first double-double of her career with 13 points and 10 boards against Auburn. She also scored 13 points in the win at Alabama. 

• Senior center Jenna Staiti leads the SEC and is fourth nationally in total blocks (60). Staiti has totaled five or more blocks in four games this season. 

• Freshman forward Zoesha Smith is playing her best basketball of the season. Against Auburn on Thursday, she scored a career-best eight points and tied a career-high with five rebounds. 

Series Breakdown

Overall: Georgia leads, 8-6

In Athens: Georgia leads, 4-3

In Columbia: Missouri leads, 3-2

Neutral Sites: Georgia leads, 2-0

Current Streak: Missouri has won the last two meetings

Last Meeting: Missouri won 73-65 in Athens (2/6/20)

Largest Margin of Victory: 31 points,Georgia won, 77-46 (1/3/13)

Largest Defeat: 26 points, Missouri won 61-35 (1/17/19)

Historical Hidden Figures

In honor of Black History Month, the SEC is highlighting pioneers and trailblazers in our sport. Cynthia Collins and Bernadette Locke (Mattox) were the first two African-Americans recruited to enroll at UGA and play for the Lady Bulldogs on scholarship. They were teammates on Andy Landers’ first Georgia team in 1979-80. Each set a standard of excellence for countless Lady Bulldogs and young women who followed. 

Georgia Notables

SEC’s Best Defense

Georgia is the only team in the SEC to rank in the top-5 of the conference in every defensive category. The Lady Bulldogs are first in scoring defense (59.1 ppg), third in field-goal percentage defense (.366), second in 3-point field-goal percentage defense (.255), second in blocks (6.3 per game) and fifth in steals (9.4 per game).

Georgia Tops At The Line

The Lady Bulldogs are the best free-throw shooting team in the conference, hitting 75.3 percent from the stripe. The Lady Bulldogs’ four seniors all shoot over 80 percent at the free-thow line. 

In The Paint And On The Move

Georgia has been an improved team on the offensive end compared to last season, upping its points per game by nearly 10 points and scoring 80 or more points five times.

Two reasons for that success include scoring in transition and scoring in the paint. The Lady Bulldogs have outscored their opponents in transition in all but two games and have owned an advantage in the paint in 11 of 19 contests. 

Steady Staiti Reaching 1,000

Lady Bulldog senior center Jenna Staiti needs just 81 points to reach the 1,000 point mark for her career. Earlier this year, Staiti crossed the 500-rebound mark. She is looking to become just the eighth Lady Bulldog to record 1,000 career points, 500 rebounds and 150 blocks. All seven of the previous Georgia players to accomplish that feat (Katrina McClain, Tracy Henderson, Tammye Jenkins, Christi Thomas, Tawana McDonald, Angel Robinson and Caliya Robinson) earned All-SEC honors. 

 

 

 

 

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