University of Georgia Athletics
University of Georgia
16-4,5-3SEC
Ole Miss
17-4,5-3SEC
No. 12 Georgia Beats No. 24 Ole Miss, 62-52
January 30, 2022 | Women's Basketball
OXFORD, Miss. - The 12th-ranked Georgia Lady Bulldogs basketball team topped No. 24 Ole Miss 62-52 Sunday afternoon in Oxford.
The victory elevated the Lady Bulldogs to 16-4 overall and 5-3 in the Southeastern Conference, tied with the Rebels, who fall to 5-3, and 17-4 overall.
All-SEC graduate Jenna Staiti scored 22 points and hauled in 11 rebounds for Georgia.
With the Lady Bulldogs down 4-0, Staiti hit a pair of three-point field goals to give Georgia its first lead. After the Rebels tied the game at 6-6, Georgia went on a 13-0 run, and pushed the lead to 21-8 at the end of the first quarter.
The Lady Bulldogs also led by 13 at the half (33-20) and end of the third quarter (52-39). Ole Miss made its run in the fourth quarter and got as close as six at 56-50. But Georgia was able to extend and hang on, highlighted by a pair of clutch Mikayla Coombs buckets in traffic down the stretch.
Sophomore Sarah Ashlee Barker had 12 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out five assists for Georgia, while Que Morrison scored 10, puled in six boards and assisted on five field goals.
"This was a terrific win for us today," said Georgia coach Joni Taylor. "We knew it would be tough today. Ole Miss has an excellent team, and the atmosphere was great. I'm very proud of our toughness and how we played."
Ole Miss shot 10 more free throws than Georgia, but hit just 11 of 22 from the line.
Staiti was the difference maker. She was 10 of 14 from the floor, and spearheaded a defensive effort that held Ole Miss's outstanding center Shakira Austin to nine points on three of 14 shooting from the field (three of eight from the foul line).
The win for Georgia ends a stretch of five road contests in a seven game stretch.
Georgia hosts Vanderbilt Thursday night (February 3) at 7:00.
