University of Georgia Athletics
Battle of Bulldogs Set for Thursday Matinee
December 21, 2016 | Women's Basketball
Georgia Basketball Game Notes
Lady Bulldog Info
Game & Broadcast Info
- Opponent: Samford Bulldogs
- Records: Georgia 7-4, Samford 5-6
- Rankings: Georgia NR, Samford NR
- Tipoff: Thursday, December 22 - 1:00 p.m. ET
- Location: Stegeman Coliseum // Athens, Ga.
- TV: None
- Video Stream: SEC+
- Radio:Georgia Bulldog Network by IMG // Jeff Dantzler (PBP) // In Athens: WRFC-AM 960 | Affiliates
- Audio Stream: Georgiadogs.com | Mobile
- Live Stats:
Related Links
Buy TicketsFollow @UGAAthletics
Follow @UGA_WBB
SEC Network
Georgia Lady Bulldogs
RosterSchedule
Stats
Samford Bulldogs
RosterSchedule
Stats
Complete Game Notes
Opening Tip - Five Things To Know
- Georgia hosts Samford in its final game before the team goes home for Christmas. The Lady Bulldogs will wrap up non-conference action on Dec. 28 against Western Carolina.
- Thursday's contest is the team's Tacky Sweater game. Coaches and fans will wear their best tacky sweaters in honor of the upcoming Christmas holiday.
- Georgia and Samford have not met prior to Thursday's game. The Samford Bulldogs have played one SEC opponent already this season, falling to then-No. 20 Kentucky 80-57 on Nov. 27.
- Sophomore forward Caliya Robinson leads the Lady Bulldogs and currently ranks fourth in the SEC in scoring, averaging 17.0 points per game. Robinson has scored in double figures in 14-straight games dating back to last season. Robinson already has 10 double-figure scoring games during the 2016-17 campaign, matching last year's total.
- Georgia enters the game against Samford after falling to Virginia on Monday night. That loss broke a then-NCAA-best 61 game home non-conference win streak -- a mark that stretched all the way back to the 2008-09 season.
- Seven of the Lady Bulldogs' first 11 opponents made postseason play last year, including NCAA Tournament teams BYU, USF and Oklahoma State. Georgia has knocked off two teams -- BYU and Mercer -- that won their respective conference championships a season ago.
Series Information
This will be the first meeting between the two programs.
Scouting Samford
The Samford Bulldogs have faced a strong non-conference schedule this season and currently stand at 5-6 overall. Last year, the team recorded a 20-11 record on its way to a third-place finish in the Southern Conference. Head coach Mike Morris, whose teams are known for their motion-style offense, is in his 15th year in Birmingham, with his teams boasting seven 20-win seasons. Redshirt junior guard Hannah Nichols, a 2015 Second Team All-SoCon performer, leads the team in scoring with her 14.1 points per game, while junior guard Kassidy Blevins, a native of Ringgold, Georgia, scores 13.0 points per game.
Georgia Notebook
Robinson On Double-Figure Score Streak; One Of SEC's Top Scorers Georgia sophomore forward Caliya Robinson has now scored in double figures in 14 consecutive games dating back to last season. The Marietta native has set two new career-high point totals through the first 11 games this season. She scored 24, 19 in the second half, vs. Mercer in her first game of the year. Robinson followed that up with 30 points vs. Minnesota on Thanksgiving Day. The 2016 SEC All-Freshman Team selection has now scored in double figures 20 times in her career and has recorded seven double-doubles.
The First 30 Since 2008
Robinson became the first Lady Bulldog since Tasha Humphrey in 2008 to score 30 points in a single game. Robinson had a career day against Minnesota on Nov. 24, scoring 30 points off a 14-for-27 shooting performance. Humphrey scored 32 points against Florida on Feb. 24, 2008.
Roberts' Rebounding Ranks Among SEC Best
Georgia senior Pachis Roberts currently ranks 11th among SEC players in rebounding, averaging 7.5 boards per contest. She has recorded three double-figure rebounding totals this season, including a career-high 14 against Kennesaw State on Nov. 29.
Georgia Gets First Road Win At Cincinnati
Georgia used a strong second half to pick up its first road win of the year at Cincinnati's Fifth Third Arena. With the scored tied 26-26 at the half, the Lady Bulldogs used an 8-0 run to begin the second half to hold off the Bearcats. Simone Costa finished with a career-high 11 points, while Caliya Robinson and Pachis Roberts each scored in double figures.
Freshman Picks Up Consecutive Starts
Georgia freshman guard/forward Stephanie Paul started three games from Nov. 24-29. Paul played 11 minutes in the first start of her career against Minnesota. She then saw 15 minutes of action against USF. Before Paul was inserted into the starting five, Georgia had used the same starters -- Haley Clark, Shanea Armbrister, Pachis Roberts, Mackenzie Engram and Halle Washington -- in the first four games this season. Paul played a career-high 24 minutes in the team's last outing vs. Virginia.
Georgia Gets First Road Win At Cincinnati
Georgia used a strong second half to pick up its first road win of the year at Cincinnati's Fifth Third Arena. With the scored tied 26-26 at the half, the Lady Bulldogs used an 8-0 run to begin the second half to hold off the Bearcats. Simone Costa finished with a career-high 11 points, while Caliya Robinson and Pachis Roberts each scored in double figures.
Joni Taylor Gives Birth To First Baby Girl
Head coach Joni Taylor and her husband Darius welcomed their first child, Jacie Elise Taylor, into the world Nov. 3. She weighed 6 pounds, 5 ounces and is 20 inches long. Associate head coach Karen Lange took over head coaching duties in the interim through the first six games. Taylor was on the bench for each of those games, except when the team played in the Bahamas on Nov. 24 and 26.
"Darius and I can't express how blessed we are to be the proud parents of little Jacie," Taylor said the day Jacie was born. "She is a beautiful, healthy baby girl and has already brought so much joy to our lives. I want to personally thank everyone for all the prayers and encouragement you have shown us during this time. We are truly blessed and fortunate to be a part of the Georgia family, and are excited that our baby girl will be a part of such a special community."
Georgia's 2017 Signing Class Ranked Top-10 Nationally
The Lady Bulldogs' 2017 signing class currently ranks among the top-10 in the nation according to ESPN.com's Hoopgurlz. Georgia signed four highly-touted recruits, including five-star guards Que Morrison and Gabby Connally, four-star guard Maya Caldwell and four-star forward Malury Bates. Each player is ranked in the top-15 at her position nationally, with Morrison coming in as the No. 7 ranked overall guard, Connally the No. 8 point guard, Bates the No. 8-ranked forward and Caldwell the 15th-ranked wing prospect nationally.
FOLLOW THE BULLDOGS
For more information on the Georgia Lady Bulldogs, follow the team on Twitter (@UGA_WBB), Instagram (@uga_wbb), Facebook (Facebook.com/UGAWomensBasketball) and Snapchat (@uga_wbb).
