Balanced Effort Leads Georgia Past Kennesaw State 89-47

Wednesday, November 16

Athens, Ga.

7:00 p.m.

University of Georgia

4-0,0-0SEC

Kennesaw State

1-3,0-0ASUN

Kennesaw St.

Georgia

Balanced Effort Leads Georgia Past Kennesaw State 89-47

November 16, 2022 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Game Stats Notes/Quotes

ATHENS – A balanced scoring effort, led by a game-high 20 points from Brittney Smith, helped the Georgia women's basketball team to an 89-47 win against Kennesaw State on Wednesday.

The win marks the third consecutive season the Lady Bulldogs have been 4-0 to start the year. Georgia (4-0) knocked in a season-high seven 3-pointers and had six Lady Bulldogs tally season-high numbers in scoring.

Four Georgia players scored in double digits against Kennesaw (1-3).

In addition to Brittney Smith's 20 points, Zoesha Smith had 15 points and a team-high six rebounds. It marked the third time in four games that Z. Smith has set a new career high.

Sophomore guard De'Mauri Flournoy had 11 points on the night, fueled by three 3-pointers, and fifth-year Audrey Warren scored 10 points. Freshman guard Savannah Henderson contributed to the team's season-high seven 3-pointers with a career high of three. Fifth-year guard Diamond Battles led the team with seven assists on the night.

"Our press really helped, but I think overall our pressure, length, and athleticism did a lot for us," Coach ABE said. "We got a lot of tips, and a lot of loose balls which we want to do. We're supposed to be getting hustle plays and things like that, but I don't know if we got some steals in the press or not. I don't know if we did but they just shot quick shots, and then we were able to get out and go."

A B. Smith layup followed by a jumper from Audrey Warren gave Georgia a 4-0 lead within the first minute of play. Georgia used its press-and-play system to establish a double-digit lead off a 20-0 run. A pair of B. Smith free throws extended the Lady Bulldogs' lead and concluded the first quarter, 30-7. Georgia shot 70% from the field in the opening quarter compared to Kennesaw's 15.8%.

The Owls opened the second quarter with back-to-back jumpers. A pair of B. Smith free throws and a Battles layup off a fast break jump started the offense for the Lady Bulldogs, creating a 4-0 scoring run to boost Georgia's lead, 34-11, with less than five minutes remaining in the first half. A layup from Malury Bates closed the second quarter while the Georgia defense shut out the Owls in the final minute. Two 4-0 scoring runs allowed the Lady Bulldogs to take a 44-22 lead into the locker room at halftime, resulting in the most points scored and the biggest lead at the half this season.

A long jumper and a free throw from Warren added three points to the Lady Bulldogs' lead to start the second half, 47-22. Kennesaw's offense controlled a majority of the third quarter before Battles' second fast break layup of the game started a 7-0 scoring run for Georgia. A Flournoy buzzer beating layup gave the Lady Bulldogs a 66-33 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Henderson and Flournoy each scored a 3-pointer to jump start the final quarter of play, 80-41. Georgia used three scoring runs and five 3-pointers to extend its lead. A final 4-0 scoring run boosted the lady Bulldogs to secure an 89-47 win.

Georgia returns to the court to face Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Sunday, Nov. 30 at 2 p.m. The game will be streamed on the ACC Network.