Georgia vs. Seton Hall
Today | Stegeman Coliseum | 2 p.m. ET
TV: SEC Network + (Matt Stewart, PBP; Kiesha Brown, Analyst)
Radio: Georgia Bulldog Radio Network by IMG (Jeff Dantzler, PBP)
Live Stats: GeorgiaDogs.com (Click Here)
Twitter: @UGA_WBB
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ATHENS, Ga. — The Georgia Lady Bulldog basketball team puts its six-game win streak on the line as it hosts No. 21- ranked and undefeated Seton Hall on Sunday at Stegeman Coliseum. Tip time is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET.
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Opening Tip — Five Things To Know
– The Lady Bulldogs enter Sunday’s game on a six-game win streak — Georgia’s longest streak since winning 12-consecutive games to begin the 2014-15 campaign. Sunday’s matchup is only the second all-time meeting between the two schools. Seton Hall won last year’s meeting, 70-51, in New Jersey.
– Georgia has won 52-straight non-conference home games dating back to the 2008-09 season. UGA’s last loss at home vs. a non-conference opponent came against Xavier in a 56-44 loss on Dec. 30, 2008.
– Lady Bulldog senior guard Tiaria Griffin reached 1,000 career points with her 10-point effort vs. Kennesaw State. She is now one of 36 Lady Bulldogs all-time to reach 1,000 career points. Fellow senior Shacobia Barbee needs just 42 points to reach the 1,000-point career milestone.
– Shacobia Barbee came close to yet another triple double this season in the team’s last outing vs. Kennesaw State. She finished with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists. She would have been just the third player in SEC history to have two career triple doubles.
– Freshman forward Caliya Robinson had a breakout game against Kennesaw State. In just her fifth appearance this season, Robinson tallied her first double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
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A Georgia Win Would …
– Improve Georgia’s win streak to 53-straight over non-conference opponents in Athens.
– Be the Lady Bulldogs’ seventh-straight win of the season.
– Improve Georgia’s record to 8-1 under new head coach Joni Taylor. Her 7-1 record through eight games represents the best start by any UGA women’s basketball coach — either full-time or part-time — in school history.
– Be Georgia’s first victory against Seton Hall.
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Series Information
Overall: Seton Hall leads, 1-0
In Athens: Never Met
In South Orange, NJ: Seton Hall leads, 1-0
Neutral Sites: Never Met
Current Streak: Seton Hall won only previous meeting
Last Meeting: Seton Hall W, 70-51 (12/28/14)
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Scouting Seton Hall
– Seton Hall is 7-0 for the first time since the 1989-90 campaign and is coming off a championship run in the 2015 Cancun Challenge. The Pirates debuted in the AP top-25 poll at No. 22 — their highest ranking since 1995. Seton Hall is the top defensive team in the BIG EAST, holding opponents to just 54.6 ppg and just a 32.4 field goal percentage. The Pirates currently have four players scoring in double figures.
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Last Time Out
– Tiaria Griffin became the 36th player in program history to record 1,000 career points, finishing with 10 in the game as the Lady Bulldogs defeated in-state foe Kennesaw State 89-34 on Thursday night at Stegeman Coliseum.
– Shacobia Barbee fell just two assists shy of a triple-double, finishing the contest with 11 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. The Lady Bulldogs had six players in double-figure scoring. Griffin, Barbee, Caliya Robinson, Mackenzie Engram, Merritt Hempe and Amber Skidgel all passed the 10-point barrier.
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Georgia Notebook
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Lady Bulldogs Get Defensive
– Georgia has upped its points per game average to 71.1 ppg from its 53.7 ppg average a season ago, but it’s not just its offense that is getting the job done so far this season. UGA has held each of its opponents to below 40 percent shooting, has committed fewer turnovers than seven of its eight opponents and has held three opponents to below 50 points. The Lady Bulldogs have also outrebounded six opponents and recorded 51 boards vs. Kennesaw State on Thursday — a +20 advantage.
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Double-Digit Dogs
– Georgia has three players averaging double figures for the year (Tiaria Griffin, 16.3 ppg), Merritt Hempe (14.3 ppg) and Shacobia Barbee (11.9 ppg)) and two players averaging nearly a double-double with Hempe’s 14.3 ppg and 7.5 rpg and Barbee’s 11.9 ppg and 9.9 rpg. Against Kennesaw State on Thursday, Georgia had six players in double figures — the first time since 2013 five or more Lady Bulldogs have scored in double digits in the same game.
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Barbee Stealing The Show
– Lady Bulldog senior guard Shacobia Barbee is the current active career steals leader (6th nationally) in the Southeastern Conference with 234 through three and a half seasons, including 23 so far during the 2015-16 campaign — a total that is also tops in the SEC. She is averaging an SEC-best 2.9 steals per game and has recorded two or more steals in every game this season.
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Griffin Making Her Mark From The Arc
– Senior Tiaria Griffin, who currently ranks seventh in Georgia history with 167 career 3-point baskets, is the current SEC leader in made 3-point field goals this season with 21 — a total that ranks 17th nationally. Griffin needs just seven to move into sixth place on Georgia’s all-time list.
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Hempe Making A Difference
– Senior forward Merrit Hempe, who has recorded three double-doubles through eight games this season, is not only making her mark on the court but she is also playing a pivotal role in the community. Hempe has been nominated for the 2016 AllState WBCA Good Works Team for her efforts off the court.
– The Fredericksburg, Va., native participates in numerous community service efforts, including Special Olympics Homeruns for Hometown Rivals baseball game, Toys for Tots, writing Holiday cards for deployed soldiers, helping provide safe routes to school by partnering with Barrow Elementary, providing toiletries collection for the homeless, visiting Stroud Elementary throughout the year to encourage and mentor children, is an Alzheimer’s Walk Volunteer, and Ath-Half Volunteer, and volunteers as a AAU coach and operations staff member during May. The 2015-16 Good Works Team will be released in February.
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Books And Basketball For Butler
– Georgia senior point guard Marjorie Butler is not only directing the Lady Bulldogs on the court, she is also focusing on the next steps to becoming a doctor. She entered college with over 50 hours of college credits, and is currently going through medical school interviews. The Knoxville, Tenn., native already has a degree in exercise science and will graduate with a second degree in biology.
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