COLUMBIA, SC – The University of Georgia’s basketball team Lady Bulldog had 33% field hitting in a 62-50 loss to third place in South Carolina’s ranking Thursday night at the Colonial Life Arena.
The defeat brings a sequence of four consecutive victories for the Lady Bulldogs ranked 22nd. Georgia drops to 12-2 overall, 4-2 in the SEC, while South Carolina improves to 11-1, 6-0 at the conference.
Veterans Jenna Staiti and Que Morrison led the Lady Bulldogs with 15 points each. Staiti finished a timid double-double rebound with nine bags.
“In my opinion, South Carolina is the best team in the country,” said coach Joni Taylor. “Give them credit. A lot of people talk about your ability to score, but they put a lot of pressure on you defensively and it affected us tonight. We overturned too much and simply gave them a lot of goods. “
Staiti scored four of Georgia’s first six points, while the two teams remain tied at 6-6, with 4:30 to go to the end of the first quarter. The Lady Bulldogs fired just 27 percent and committed nine losses in the first period, but still lost by only five points, 15-10, going to the second.
Georgia cooled in the second quarter and missed his first basket until Morrison’s kick at the 5:35 mark. The Lady Bulldogs held out a lot in the first half, despite shooting only 29 percent in the first 20 minutes.
With 30 to 18 in the break, Georgia was defeated by 20 to 10 in the third quarter, with Gamecocks extending their lead. The Lady Bulldogs recovered at the end of the quarter, but it was not enough in a 62-50 loss.