WBB: Georgia Falls To Kentucky 84-76
The No. 15 ranked Georgia Lady Bulldogs basketball team fell to No. 20 Kentucky, 84-76, at Memorial Coliseum on Thursday night.
Despite the loss, graduates Jenna Staiti and Que Morrison led Georgia offensively. Staiti tallied 26 points and collected five boards, while Morrison scored 14 points. Both shot 100% from the line, (Staiti 8-8, Morrison 6-6).
Georgia is now 12-3 overall and 1-2 in SEC play. Kentucky is 8-3 and 1-0 in SEC play.
“They’re (Kentucky) a team who thrives on scoring off our turnovers, we knew that coming in,” said head coach Joni Taylor. “Any time you let someone shoot 58 percent from the field in this league it’s going to be a long night. We’re not locked in, that’s on me. I’ve got to get that figured out, change some things around and shake some things up.”
The Lady Bulldog offense had a dominant start, going 4-4 from the field to gain an early 9-3 lead over the Wildcats. Kentucky answered back with an 8-0 run, tying the game off a jumper at the 4:50 mark. Staiti tied the court, 11-11, with 3:45 remaining. the graduate center went on to put away seven points and claimed four rebounds in the first quarter. From there, the score went back-and-forth with Kentucky ending the first 10 minutes ahead, 20-18.
The Wildcats opened the second quarter on offense with a solid bucket. Holding their own on defense, Georgia kept Kentucky from scoring for two-and-a-half minutes. A 4-0 run from Morrison and Reigan Richardson put Georgia ahead, 24-22. Led by Rhyne Howard, the Wildcats created an eight-point gap with a minute remaining. Staiti put away two last-minute free throws and a layup to end the second quarter.
Georgia closed out the half down by four, 39-35.
The Lady Bulldog offense found their way to the basket at the end of the third. A Morrison jumper followed by Staiti and Mikayla Coombs each going 2-for-2 from the line gave Georgia its first lead of the quarter, 49-47. The floor remained even between the opponents until a foul on Coombs gave the Wildcats a last second free throw opportunity. Dre’Una Edwards put away both shots. Kentucky took a one-point lead, 58-57.
Kentucky held a steady lead over Georgia in the final quarter. Staiti and Morrison led on offense and kept things close, combined they had 13 points respectively in the final quarter alone. It wouldn’t be enough as the Wildcats went on a late 7-0 run and defeated Georgia, 84-76.
GYM: Dawgs Drop Opener At Michigan
Senior Megan Roberts took home a share of the vault title as the University of Georgia gymnastics team fell on the road to reigning national champion Michigan by a 197.750- 194.500 tally on Thursday night in the season opener.
“Every first meet is a starting point,” head coach Courtney Kupets Carter said. “This year’s start had bigger errors than we were expecting, which makes it difficult to build momentum. I did like their ability to keep focusing on one routine at a time. We will work this week in the gym to improve for Kentucky.”
Senior Emily Schild paced the GymDogs on bars, posting a 9.850 in the fourth position of the lineup. As a team, Georgia scored a 48.425 while Michigan tallied a 49.425 on vault to take an early lead.
Georgia put a 49.100 on the scoreboard on vault, and it was Roberts with the top score from the anchor sport with a 9.900. Junior Haley de Jong and senior Abbey Ward added scores of 9.825. Another strong rotation from Michigan allowed the Wolverines to build on their lead, though, taking a 98.900- 97.525 lead into the halfway point of the meet.
Junior Soraya Hawthorne took home the top score for the GymDogs on floor with a 9.850 in her first performance of the year as Georgia totaled a 48.600 in the event.
De Jong was the high-scorer for the visiting squad on beam, scoring a 9.850 in the event. Georgia finished with a 48.375 on the final apparatus of the meet.
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