The University of Georgia Lady Bulldogs fell to the Vanderbilt Commodores, 63-55, Thursday night at Stegeman Coliseum.

Redshirt-junior Jenna Staiti led Georgia in both scoring and rebounding, recording her fourth career double-double and third of the season, with a season-high 18 points and 11 rebounds. Juniors Maya Caldwell and Que Morrison also scored in double digits, registering 12 and 11 points respectively. 

“I thought we played how we practiced the past two days,” Georgia head coach Joni Taylor said. “I did not think we were very sharp. I did not think we were very focused and it showed up. In this league, it is going to show if you are not prepared and you are not ready to go and we weren’t tonight.”

After trading baskets early, Staiti notched two baskets to take the 6-2 lead. While Georgia extended the score to 13-9 and matched its largest advantage of the period, Vanderbilt remained within one of the Lady Bulldogs for a majority of the opening frame. A shot from freshman Javyn Nicholson sent Georgia into the second quarter with the 15-12 lead. 

Morrison opened the second quarter by draining a shot behind the arc. Both teams entered a scoring drought from the field halfway through the period, ended by a 3-pointer from Caldwell to go up 23-15. 

As a result of a 10-0 Commodore run capped with a shot at the buzzer, the Lady Bulldogs went into the locker facing their first deficit of the game, 25-23. 

Despite two Georgia scores bringing the deficit back to one point, Vanderbilt scored the next nine points to gain their first double-digit advantage, 34-44. 

The Lady Bulldogs brought the score back within single digits, 57-50, with three minutes left to play after two baskets from Morrison and Caldwell. A 3-pointer from Caldwell brought Georgia within six points, but a Vanderbilt layup in the final seconds concluded the game, 63-55.

Up next, the Lady Bulldogs will travel to Knoxville to take on the Tennessee Volunteers on Sunday, Jan. 12, at 1 p.m. The matchup will be televised on SEC Network.