December 3, 2008

Georgia-WKU Boxscore

BOWLING GREEN, Ky.-----Western Kentucky sank four free throws in the final 18 seconds to secure a 67-63 win over Georgia Tuesday at Diddle Arena.

The Bulldogs (5-2) led 38-35 at halftime, and scored the first two points of the second half before Western Kentucky (4-2) responded with a 14-4 run. Georgia pulled to within one on four different occasions, but could never regain the lead.

“I think we got better tonight,” Georgia head coach Dennis Felton said. “We were right where we wanted to be at the end and held them to 35 percent shooting. Overall, coming into a place as electrified as this and to play with good purpose, poise and composure all game, I’m really pleased and encouraged with the way the team responded to this type of challenge.”

Georgia trailed 63-60 with just under 25 seconds remaining when Western Kentucky’s A.J. Slaughter heaved a desperation three that grazed the rim as the shot clock expired. The Hilltoppers’ Anthony Sally grabbed the offensive rebound and subsequently made the first of four Western Kentucky free throws in the closing seconds.

“When it gets to the last seven seconds of a possession, our goal is to not let the team even get a shot off,” Felton said. “We defended so well, they threw a baseball pass at the rim with no time left. The rebound they got on that was an unfortunate play.”

Senior Terrance Woodbury scored 18 points, including 16 in the first half, to lead the Bulldogs while freshman Howard Thompkins added 10.

“This was an atmosphere where we need our senior and most experienced player to play that way,” Felton said. “(Woodbury) had a good game.”

Georgia led throughout most of the first half and built a 22-14 advantage before the Hilltoppers regained the lead with a 16-3 run. However, the Bulldogs outscored Western Kentucky 8-0 at the end of the half to take a three-point lead at the break.

Georgia shot just 32.3 percent from the field in the second half including 1-of-9 from beyond the arc. The Bulldogs were 6-of-12 from the foul line compared to 18-of-27 for the Hilltoppers, and outrebounded Western Kentucky 41-39.

The Hilltoppers were led by Slaughter with 20 points and Sergio Kerusch with 13.

The Bulldogs will travel to Chicago for a matchup against Illinois on Saturday at the United Center. The game is scheduled for noon Eastern and will be televised by ESPNU.

December 2, 2008

A reminder to Hartman Fund contributors with renewable season tickets or patrons interested in obtaining 2009 UGA Football season tickets; the donation deadline for the 2009 season is February 15, 2009. Hartman Fund contributors may make one donation or several prior to this priority deadline. Hartman Fund donors who contribute online prior to the February 15th deadline will automatically be entered in a drawing to win a 2009 UGA Football away game travel package for two. Accessing your online account also enables you to view your priority points, view your giving history and update your contact information. 

If you held 2008 renewable season tickets, your annual contribution to the Hartman Fund reserves your right to retain the same seats.  It is important to renew by the February 15 donation deadline to assure that you receive a season ticket application, continue as a season ticket holder, and most importantly retain your same seats.  Seats belonging to donors who do not renew by the February 15th deadline may become available to those seeking relocation, adding season tickets (maximum of 8 per account) or to those applying for new season tickets.

The William C. Hartman Jr. Fund is priority seating system for the sport of football. It rewards a contributor’s loyalty through the opportunity to purchase renewable season tickets, single home game tickets, away game tickets, SEC Championship tickets and Bowl Game tickets.

Donors to the William C. Hartman Jr. Fund make it possible for the Athletic Association to provide scholarship support for Georgia’s nearly 600 student-athletes as well as financial support for the 21 varsity sport programs.  In appreciation of their support The Georgia Bulldog Club has established an annual giving benefits chart. Benefits are based on your annual giving level in the Hartman Fund and include the opportunity for home season football parking, Georgia/Florida game parking and Olympic Sport Passes.

• To view the William C. Hartman Jr. Fund Benefits Chart please click here.

Away and Single Home Game Ticket Information
A benefit of contributing to the Hartman Fund is the opportunity to purchase away game tickets and single home game tickets. You do not need to be a season ticket holder to qualify for away or single home game tickets. Hartman Fund donors are eligible to order away and single home game tickets based on their annual contribution, cumulative score and availability.

• To view the guidelines for ordering 2009 Away Game Tickets please click here.

• To view the guidelines for ordering 2009 Single Home Game Tickets please click here.

Questions about the Hartman Fund? A member of The Georgia Bulldog Club staff would enjoy talking with you. Please contact us at 877-GA-DAWGS.

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December 2, 2008

ATHENS, Ga. --- A total of 23 former Bulldogs saw action in week 13 of the NFL season.  Among the top performers were Carolina’s Thomas Davis, who had eight tackles in the Panthers’ win over Green Bay, and Hines Ward who caught five passes for 37 yards and a touchdown in the Steelers’ 33-10 win over Green Bay.

Champ Bailey, CB, Denver
Bailey suffered a groin injury during week seven and has been sidelined for the last several weeks.

Tra Battle, S, Dallas
Battle had one tackle in the Cowboys’ 34-9 win over Seattle.

Reggie Brown, WR, Philadelphia
Brown played but did not record any stats in the Eagles’ 48-20 win over Arizona.

Chris Clemons, DE, Philadelphia
Clemons had a QB hurry in the Eagles’ 48-20 win over Arizona.

Nic Clemons, DE, Denver
Clemons was not active in the Broncos’ 34-17 win over the New York Jets.

Brandon Coutu, PK, Seattle
Coutu was not active in the Seahawks’ 34-9 loss to Dallas.

Thomas Davis, LB, Carolina
Davis started at linebacker and had eight tackles in the Panthers’ 35-31 win over Green Bay.

Demetric Evans, DE, Washington
Evans started at defensive end and had three tackles in the Redskins’ 23-7 loss to the New York Giants.

Jason Ferguson, DT, Miami
Ferguson started at defensive tackle and had one tackle in the Dolphins’ 16-12 win over St. Louis.

George Foster, OT, Detroit
Foster did not play in the Lions’ 47-10 loss to Tennessee.

Tony Gilbert, LB, Atlanta
Gilbert was not active in the Falcons’ 22-16 win over San Diego.

Kedric Golston, DT, Washington
Golston was not active in the Redskins’ 23-7 loss to the New York Giants.

Marcus Howard, DE, Indianapolis
Howard had two tackles in the Colts’ 10-6 win over Cleveland.

Max Jean-Gilles, G, Philadelphia
Jean-Gilles started at right guard in the Eagles’ 48-20 win over Arizona.

Tim Jennings, S, Indianapolis
Jennings started at left cornerback and had three tackles in the Colts’ 10-6 win over Cleveland.

Charles Johnson, DE, Carolina
Johnson had three tackles and a fumble recovery in the Panthers’ 35-31 win over Green Bay.

Sean Jones, FS, Cleveland
Jones started at safety and had three tackles and an interception in the Browns’ 10-6 loss to Indianapolis.

John Kasay, PK, Carolina
Kasay was 5-for-5 on PATs in the Panthers’ 35-31 win over Green Bay.

Josh Mallard, DE, Cincinnati
Mallard played but did not record any stats in the Bengals’ 34-3 loss to Baltimore.

Brandon Miller, LB, Seattle
Miller was not active in the Seahawks’ 34-9 loss to Dallas.

Quentin Moses, LB, Miami
Moses played but did not record any stats in the Dolphins’ 16-12 win at St. Louis.

Paul Oliver, CB, San Diego
Oliver was not active in the Chargers’ 22-16 loss to Atlanta.

Jermaine Phillips, S, Tampa Bay
Phillips had eight tackles, an interception and a QB hurry in the Buccaneers’ 23-20 win over New Orleans.

Leonard Pope, TE, Arizona
Pope had one catch for 25 yards in the Eagles’ 48-20 loss to Philadelphia.

Dennis Roland, OT, Cincinnati
Roland did not play in the Bengals’ 34-3 loss to Baltimore.

Richard Seymour, DL, New England
Seymour started at right end and had two tackles and three QB hurries in the Patriots’ 33-10 loss to Pittsburgh.

D.J. Shockley, QB, Atlanta
Shockley was not active in the Falcons’ 22-16 win at San Diego.

Jon Stinchcomb, OT, New Orleans
Stinchcomb started at right tackle in the Saints’ 23-20 loss to Tampa Bay.

Marcus Stroud, DT, Buffalo
Stroud started at defensive tackle and had four tackles in the Bills’ 10-3 loss to San Francisco.

Hines Ward, WR, Pittsburgh
Ward started at receiver and had five catches for 37 yards and a touchdown in the Steelers’ 33-10 win at New England.

Danny Ware, RB, New York Giants
Ware played but did not record any stats in the Giants’ 23-7 win over Washington.

Benjamin Watson, TE, New England
Watson started at tight end and caught one pass for 12 yards in the Patriots’ 33-10 loss to Pittsburgh.

Will Witherspoon, LB, St. Louis
Witherspoon played but did not record any stats in the Rams’ 16-12 loss to Miami.

PRACTICE SQUAD
Martrez Milner Tight End New York Giants
Dennis Roland Offensive Lineman Cincinnati Bengals
Fernando Velasco Offensive Lineman Tennessee Titans

INJURED-RESERVE
Boss Bailey Linebacker Denver Broncos
Thomas Brown Running Back Atlanta Falcons
Phillip Daniels Defensive End Washington Redskins
Robert Geathers Defensive End Cincinnati Bengals
Charles Grant Defensive End New Orleans Saints
Jonas Jennings Offensive Tackle San Francisco 49ers
Kregg Lumpkin Running Back Green Bay Packers
Randy McMichael Tight End St. Louis Rams

WAIVED—REACHED INJURY SETTLEMENT
Chester Adams Guard Chicago Bears
Arnold Harrison Linebacker Pittsburgh Steelers

December 2, 2008

Lady Bulldogs vs. Tennessee Tech Game Notes

Lady Bulldog Basketball
Georgia vs. Tennessee Tech
Wednesday, December 3 at 7:00 p.m.
Stegeman Coliseum (10,523) • Athens, Ga.

The basics
The Georgia Lady Bulldogs return to action for the fifth time in eight days this evening when they continue their NBA-style schedule by hosting Tennessee Tech at Stegeman Coliseum on Wednesday night.

Georgia entered the stretch – which eventually will include seven games in a 13-day span – looking to bounce back from a shocking loss to previously winless Detroit Mercy on Nov. 22.

“We need a competitive spirit and intensity,” Landers said as his immediate goals following the initial setback of the campaign. “I’m looking for a basketball team that understands that when it walks inside those lines, it has to compete.”

The Lady Bulldogs have done just that, dispatching North Carolina Central, Cal State Fullerton, Eastern Washington and East Tennessee State by an average of 29.8 points per game.

Landers still sees room for improvement.

“I think we’re making baby steps in the right direction,” Landers said. “Often times, the process starts out that way. Have we moved very far down that road? Probably not. Are we headed in the right direction? Yes. Everybody has to be on the same page and make the same consistently great effort.

“When one or two people are not giving their greatest effort, that can negate the attempts the others are making to better our basketball team,” Landers said.

Georgia will probably get a better read on its progress pretty soon. This week’s slate is much more competitively daunting, with three 2008 NCAA Tournament teams – East Tennessee State, Georgia Tech and Rutgers – on tap in addition to Tennessee Tech, which has long been a mid-major powerhouse with a double-digit tally of NCAA bids to its credit.

Keeping an eye on...
Entering the Tennessee Tech game:

Andy Landers is...
• 5 victories shy of his 800th career win as a collegiate head coach

Ashley Houts is...
• 191 points from becoming UGA’s 30th 1000-point scorer
• 8 steals from No. 10 Cynthia Collins among UGA’s career leaders

Angel Robinson is...
• 3 blocks from No. 9 Kara Braxton among UGA’s career leaders

Series history with ETSU, A-Sun
Georgia sports an 8-0 record against Tennessee Tech and an 18-1 mark versus teams currently competing with TTU in the Ohio Valley Conference.

In addition to that 8-0 mark, the Lady Bulldogs are 4-0 versus Eastern Kentucky, 3-0 against Tennessee State, 2-0 versus Tennessee-Martin, 1-0 against Morehead State and 0-1 versus Austin Peay.

The Lady Bulldogs and Golden Eagles last met on Dec. 14, 2002, with Christi Thomas scoring a game-high 17 points to lead four Georgia players in double figures in an 87-56 victory.

Sherill Baker scored eight of her 12 points to ignite a 15-2 run to start the second half that broke open a tie game at intermission.

Last time out...
Angel Robinson scored 19 points and grabbed 15 rebounds to lead Georgia to a 77-57 victory over East Tennessee State on Monday, making the Lady Bulldogs the 10th NCAA Division I program to secure 750 all-time victories.

“Angel Robinson certainly played well,” Andy Landers said. “I particularly liked the way she hit the offensive boards in the first half; that’s really the thing that spread apart the scores.”

Ashley Houts chipped in 13 points and Danielle Taylor added 10 off the bench.

Robinson scored six points in a quick 8-0 run midway through the first half that gave Georgia distance it never relinquished. She started the surge with a layup with 12:14 left in the half and completed additional layins at the 10:38 and 10:03 marks. The last bucket put the Lady Bulldogs up 19-8.

Georgia eventually led by 19 points at the half and never allowed the Lady Bucs within 17 points after the break. The lead topped out at 27 points with 3:06 left.

Fond memories of Cookeville
Andy Landers knows a great deal about this history of tonight’s opponent. He received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Tennessee Tech in 1974 and 1975, respectively, and served as a graduate assistant coach for the Golden Eagles before moving on to become head coach at Roane State for four seasons and then to Athens in 1979.

“We were on the quarter system,” Landers said of his time at TTU. “It was a great four years...minus those 12 weeks of Finals.”

While Landers has many fond memories of his years in Cookeville, the butterflies of facing his alma mater have long since passed.

“There’s really nothing still there from my time at Tennessee Tech,” Landers said. “The people that I knew who were so very involved with that program are now gone. In fact, Maynell Meadows is of course the head coach with the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA. The people who worked there when I was there have since left.”

Lady Dogs 10th to 750 wins
With Monday’s 77-57 win over East Tennessee State, Georgia became the 10th NCAA Division I women’s basketball program to secure 750 all-time victories.

The Lady Bulldogs are now 750-311 (.707) in their 35-plus seasons of intercollegiate competition.

Georgia has been climbing the ledger listing the nation’s winningest all-time program’s at a rapid pace. The Lady Bulldogs became the 22nd team to 500 wins on Dec. 1, 1998; the 17th program to post 600 victories on Feb. 21, 2002; and the 15th team to record 700 “Ws” on Nov. 29, 2006.

Milestone watch II
In addition to the Lady Bulldogs reaching their 750th win, Andy Landers is approaching a significant victory tally as well.

Landers has recorded a 795-247 mark in 33 campaigns as a collegiate head coach. Only three women’s hoops coaches have topped 800 career wins, Tennessee’s Pat Summitt, retired Texas coach Jody Conradt and current Rutgers head coach C. Vivian Stringer.

Considering Landers has averaged 23.9 wins in his career, it’s a pretty safe bet he’ll be presented with a game ball after some game this winter.

Big boarding Bulldogs
Georgia has garnered the rebounding advantage in each game to date this season...on most occasions by a wide margin.

In fact, the Lady Bulldogs ranked No. 6 nationally in the latest NCAA statistics with the +14.3 mark they owned entering East Tennessee State game.

The Lady Bulldogs have posted a double-digit advantage on the boards in all but two games – Oakland and East Tennessee State.

Georgia’s largest edge on the glass this season is +25 against N.C. Central.

Viva Houts Vegas!
Ashley Houts was named SEC Player of the Week on Dec. 1 after posting three successive season-high scoring outputs.

For the week, the junior from Trenton, Ga., averaged 19.7 points by connecting on 57.9 percent of her field goals and 90.0 percent of her free throws. She also was named MVP of UNLV’s Lady Rebel Round-up.

Houts connected on 7-of-9 shots en route to 17 points against N.C. Central. She then notched 20 points, including eight in a decisive 22-2 first-half run, versus Cal State Fullerton. Houts wrapped up the week with 22 points, including 15 in the first half, against Eastern Washington.

The Player of the Week honor is the first of Houts’ career; however, she was tabbed SEC Freshman of the Week four times en route to earning SEC Freshman of Year honors in 2007.

Houts is currently ranked among the SEC’s top-10 individual leaders in no less than seven statistics – No. 5 in scoring, assists and FT percentage; No. 3 in steals and minutes played; No. 7 in assist-to-turnover ratio; and No. 9 in FG percentage.

Some “Madness” In December
While Andy Landers does not think the wins or losses against quality opponents during the first week of December will make or break Georgia’s season, he knows those opponents all have a winner’s swagger.

“There’s no question when you play an NCAA Tournament team it’s an attention getter,” Landers said. “You’re talking about teams that know how to win, the process it takes to win and what it takes to do just that. You don’t make it to the NCAA Tournament without that understanding. In order to qualify, you’ve had to win games at home, win games on the road, win games against teams you’re supposed to beat and beaten your chief rivals or competitors. That’s the only way to qualify for the NCAAs.”

Out of my way, coach!
Angel Robinson swatted three shots at Oakland to inch past current assistant coach La’Keshia Frett into the No. 10 position among Georgia’s career leaders.

Robinson enters tonight’s game three blocked shots away from the No. 9 slot on that ledger.

Houts stealing the show
Ashley Houts is eight steals shy of joining the Lady Dogs’ top-10 career leaders.

Houts, who broke SEC all-time steals leader Sherill Baker’s UGA freshman record, is averaging of 2.7 per game in her career.

Lady Dogs unranked for first time since Carter administration
The last time the Georgia’s Lady Bulldogs were not ranked in the Associated Press pre-season women’ basketball poll Jimmy Carter was President and Herschel Walker was wrapping up a freshman campaign that turned him into a national phenomenon.

The initial 1980-81 edition of the AP poll was released on Nov. 25, 1980...just months before Ronald Reagan would take up residence on Pennsylvania Avenue and four days before Walker capped the Bulldogs’ undefeated regular-season with 205 rushing yards in a 38-20 victory over Georgia Tech. Georgia went on to defeat Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl to capture the national title.

The following fall, Georgia was listed No. 12 at the opening the 1981-82 season, which also represented UGA’s first-ever AP ranking of any kind. Upstart Andy Landers had just begun to make some noise in Athens, leading Georgia to the 1981 WNIT Championship and landing Janet Harris, the top-ranked prep prospect in the country.

Since then, Georgia has been a mainstay in the polls. The Lady Bulldogs had been ranked in 27 straight pre-season polls, including 21 times in the top 10.

When this year’s pre-season poll was announced on Nov. 1, the Lady Bulldogs were in the No. 32 position among the teams receiving votes. Georgia garnered 37 points among the 45 media members who comprise the AP voting register.

Lady Bulldog staff inks top-5 recruiting class
A quartet of the nation’s top girls’ basketball players inked letters of intent with the Georgia Lady Bulldogs on Nov. 12, giving Andy Landers and his staff what is widely regarded as one of the top-5 recruiting classes in the nation.

Anne Marie Armstrong, Jasmine Hassell, Jasmine James and Tamika Willis – each ranked among the nation’s top-50 overall prospects by one or more scouting services – will continue their basketball careers in Athens next fall. The class has been ranked No. 3 nationally by both All-Star Girls Basketball Report and The Collegiate Girls Basketball Report, as well as No. 5 by Blue Star and No. 7 by Hoopgurlz.

“I’m very pleased with the quality of the class,” Landers said. “I’m sure this class as a whole will be recognized as an outstanding group, but each individual player is outstanding and will have the opportunity to make our team better. This is the sum total of a lot of hard work and diligence on the part of our coaching staff and our assistant coaches should be congratulated.”

Armstrong, a 6-3, wing coached by Jan Azar at the Wesleyan School in Norcross, Ga., is the reigning Miss Georgia Basketball and ranked as the nation’s No. 6 prospect at her position by the Collegiate Girls Basketball Report.

Hassell, a 6-2, center coached by Bud Brandon at Wilson Central High School in Lebanon, Tenn., was named the 2008 Division I AAA Miss Basketball for Tennessee after leading the Wildcats to their second state title in three years. She is listed as the nation’s No. 6 center by the All-Star Girls Report.

James, a 5-9, guard coached by Lynn Whitfield at Barlett High School in Memphis, Tenn., was named the Memphis Commercial Appeal’s Player of the Year as both a sophomore and a junior. She is ranked No. 5 nationally among guard prospects by the All-Star Girls Report.

Willis, a 6-2, forward coached by Hilda Hankerson at Atlanta’s Westlake High, is a two time All-State performer in Class AAAA and tabbed as the No. 11 post prospect by the Collegiate Girls Basketball Report.

Mirror, mirror of a scoreboard
Georgia has posted 85 points in victories over Alabama State, North Carolina Central and Cal State Fullerton.

The similarities don’t stop there, however.

Against both Alabama State and N.C. Central, the Lady Bulldogs scored 49 first-half points and followed that by putting up 36 in the second stanzas.

Unfamilar sight outside of polls
Georgia dropped from No. 23 to outside the top-25 in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll released on last Tuesday.

That represented the first week without the Lady Bulldogs included in one or both national poll in nearly six years. Georgia last wasn’t ranked in both polls during the week of Jan. 13, 2003.

The Lady Bulldogs began that 2002-03 season ranked No. 9 in both but fell from both top 25s on Dec. 30, 2007 following four early-season setbacks.

Georgia then rallied to win eight straight by an average of 31.9 points. The Lady Bulldogs rejoined the AP poll following the first six of those wins and appeared back in the coaches’ poll the following week.

Georgia’s streak of consecutive weeks being ranked almost ended last season. The Lady Bulldogs were No. 24 in the coaches’ poll but dropped out of the AP rankings on Feb. 11 after a loss to LSU.

A pair of wins the following week brought Georgia back into the AP poll as well.

The Lady Bulldogs maintained that status until falling to Kentucky in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament knocked them off the AP’s ledger. Georgia eventually finished No. 24 in the USA Today/ESPN poll after falling to North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament.

Georgia’s Magic Number: 80
The Lady Bulldogs’ victories over Alabama State, N.C. Central and Cal State Fullerton improved their astronomical record when scoring 80 or more points during Andy Landers’ tenure. In fact, we think you’d be hard-pressed to find a better outcome indicator than the obvious...scoring more points.

Georgia’s is now 418-7 when the Lady Dogs have put up 80 or more on Landers’ watch, an astronomical success rate of 98.352941 percent.

Conversely, Georgia is just 28-8 (.778) when scoring exactly 79 points during that span, with half of those setbacks being by three points or less.

Puleo explodes at Oakland
Angela Puleo scored 18 of Georgia’s first 26 points against Oakland, amazingly equaling her career-best scoring tally in the first 11:52 of the contest.

Previously, Puleo scored 18 points versus Florida last season in Athens.

Puleo finally surpassed that mark in the waning moments against the Golden Grizzlies. She knocked down a jumper with 1:03 remaining and then hit both ends of a one-and-one chance with 2.4 seconds left.

The performance ended a horrid shooting slump for Puleo, who was a combined 0-for-11 – including 0-for-7 from three-point range – in Georgia’s exhibition game and regular-season opener.

Thanksgiving comes early
The last Thursday in November is Thanksgiving in the U.S. Canada observes the holiday on the second Monday in October.

Pardon Jaleesa Rhoden, a native of London, Ontario and a sophomore with the Lady Bulldogs, if she split the difference and gives thanks for the chance to play in front of numerous familiar faces at Oakland and Detroit on Nov. 20 and No. 22, respectively.

Rhoden’s dad (Tony), mom (Jennifer) and older brother (Marlon) made the trek from metro-Toronto to Rochester for the Lady Bulldogs win over Oakland. Two days later, a busload of about 50 family – including the three aforementioned, her other brother (Justin) and her maternal grandmother – chartered a bus across the border for the Detroit game.

A very pleasing pre-season
Andy Landers was extremely pleased with his team’s attitude and effort during the pre-season practices.

“I couldn’t ask for a better group,” Landers said. “They’ve come to practice every day with smiles on their faces. They’ve done everything we’ve asked them to do. They’ve done it hard. They’ve done it with enthusiasm. It has been a just a joy to go to practice every day.”

UGA stays solid in openers
With its win over Alabama State, Georgia improved to 26-9 (.743) all-time in regular-season openers, including an even more impressive 24-5 (.828) mark under Andy Landers.

The Lady Bulldogs improved to 13-1 all-time in season openers in Stegeman. Georgia’s lone loss on that list came to No. 7 Stanford in 1991 in a rematch of the previous year’s championship game of the NCAA West Regional.

Walk-ons make debuts
The closing moments of Georgia’s 50-point victory Alabama State in the Lady Bulldogs’ season opener provided the opportunity for three walk-ons to make their initial collegiate appearances...and they certainly didn’t disappoint.

Sarah Stoddard logged five minutes of PT, while Destinie Smith and Ali Watt played the final three minutes of the contest.

Stoddard knocked down a long two-point bucket from the right corner with 7:45 remaining and also had two steals.

Smith hauled in four rebounds in three minutes, while Watt failed to notch any individual statistics.

Houts named to Wooden Watch
Ashley Houts was one of 30 players named to the pre-season edition of the Wooden Watch as leading candidates to capture the Wooden Award as National Player of the Year.

A 5-6, junior, Houts started 64 of 67 games during her first two seasons. A year ago she averaged 11.7 points and led the SEC in minutes played at a whopping 36.8 per game. Houts also led Georgia in assists, steals and free throw percentage.

Houts was one of three SEC players on the Wooden ledger that also included Auburn’s DeWanna Bonner and Vanderbilt’s Christina Wirth.

Double-digit TV dates
Georgia will appear on TV 10 times during the 2008-09 regular season.

The Lady Dogs’ initial TV date is against Rutgers in the Jimmy V Classic, a contest that will be televised on ESPN2. ESPN2 also will air the Feb. 15 game at Vanderbilt.

FOX Sports Net and FOX Sports South will air five games during the season. Matchups with Florida on Jan. 18, Vanderbilt on Jan. 22 and Auburn on Feb. 22 will be televised nationally on FSN. In addition, FSNS will show the Tennessee game on Feb. 5 and the Kentucky game on Feb. 26.

A trio of games will be shown CSS – at Ole Miss on Jan. 8, vs. Auburn on Jan. 29 and vs. Florida on March 1.

The Lady Bulldogs annually are one of the nation’s most televised teams. Georgia is 132-77 (.635) all-time on TV.

Over the past five seasons, the Lady Bulldogs have appeared on TV 81 times, an average of 16.2 per year.

Georgia tabbed fourth in SEC
For once, the media and coaches agree.

Both bodies picked Georgia to finish fourth in the SEC in the 2008-09 season and tabbed Ashley Houts and Angel Robinson aa first- and second-team All-SEC performers, respectively.

In fact, the coaches and media agreed on the No. 1-7 and No. 12 spots in their SEC predictions. Vanderbilt was the consensus favorite to capture the league title, followed by Tennessee, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Florida and Kentucky. Alabama was No. 12 in both polls.

Injury ends Stroud’s career
Redshirt freshman Nicole Stroud’s collegiate career ended before it began.

Andy Landers announced on Nov. 11 that it was not in Stroud’s “best interest to attempt to play” due to recurring issues with an injury to her right knee.

Stroud, a 6-3, forward, was a two-time All-State performer at Avondale High School where she led the Blue Devils to the Georgia AAA state title as a junior. She became the first basketball player in Georgia history to post a triple-double in a state title game when she scored 16 points, grabbed 16 rebounds and blocked 11 shots in Avondale’s 59-53 victory over Hepzibah in the 2006 championship contest.

Stroud originally injured her knee just two games into her freshman season at Avondale. She played the following three seasons there but began experiencing difficulties last fall. A microfracture was performed to address those issues. While her rehab proceeded as planned, Stroud had additional problems just prior to the start of pre-season camp.

“She rehabbed diligently and we were very disciplined in her comeback plan and she did not start back with us until fall, so essentially she was out about nine or 10 months,” Landers said. “But she did start back initially and it was limited. Everything went well for seven or eight days. Then on a Sunday night in the dorm, it blew up on her and started swelling. We worked for a week to get the swelling out, we tried it again and it did it again.”

Stroud’s departure reduces the Lady Bulldogs’ tally of scholarship players on the roster to nine.

Up next:
Georgia travels to Atlanta on Friday to face arch-rival Georgia Tech at Alexander Memorial Coliseum.

The Lady Bulldogs own a massive 28-2 advantage in the all-time series with the Yellow Jackets; however, Tech has won two of the past five meetings.

Georgia’s last visit to AMC provided a milestone victory for Andy Landers. With the Lady Bulldogs 79-69 win, Landers moved past Roger Kaiser to become the State of Georgia’s all-time winningest college basketball coach. FYI, Kaiser was a two-time All-American at Georgia Tech who went on to win a combined four NAIA national titles in 29 seasons at West Georgia College and Life University.

Tasha Humphrey poured in 23 points, while Christy Marshall and Megan Darrah added 16 apiece to lead the Lady Bulldogs. Janie Mitchell scored a game-high26 points for Tech.

That contest was a series of surges, with Tech leading 21-11 before UGA led 24-21. Georgia led 39-31 at the half before Tech grabbed a 49-45 edge. The Lady Dogs answered with a 16-0 run and held off the Jackets’ final rally, which closed the gap to 64-60 with 6:10 remaining.

Georgia also rallied from a first-half deficit en route to a 71-64 win last season in Athens. Tech led by eight at the intermission before the Lady Bulldogs opened the second half with a 10-2 run to tie the game. With the game tied 59-59 with 1:55 remaining, Georgia finished the game on a 12-5 run including making 10-of-10 free throws down the stretch.

Humphrey again led Georgia with 23 points, while Ashley Houts chipped in 16 and Angel Robinson added 13. Iasia Hemingway led the Jackets with a career-high 22 points and scored more points in the first half (17) than she had in the first five games of the season combined (15).

December 1, 2008

UGA-WKU Game Notes

GAME 7

TELEVISION
Live national telecast on ESPNU (Dave Weekley and Mark Adams).
GEORGIA RADIO
Georgia Bulldog Radio Network:  Scott Howard (Play-by-Play), Jeff Dantzler (color)
Local stations:  In Atlanta: WSB (750 AM) In Athens: WPUP-FM (100.1 FM) & WRFC (960 AM).
SATELLITE RADIO
The majority of Georgia basketball games in 2008-09 can be heard on XM Satellite Radio.

Dogs’ 2-Game Road Swing Starts at WKU
Georgia plays at Western Kentucky in a Tuesday night game in Bowling Green.  It’s been a week since the Bulldogs improved their record to 5-1 with a 98-54 win over Mississippi Valley State in the NIT Season Tip-Off consolation bracket.

Tuesday night’s game is the final installment of the two schools’ 4-year series that began in the 2004-05 season.  The series was the brainchild of then-WKU coach Dennis Felton, who included it as part of Georgia’s buyout from Western back in the spring of 2003.  Felton knew first-hand the difficulty in persuading the so-called “high major” programs to play in Bowling Green.  Strangely, the visitor has won each of the first three meetings in this particular 4-game stretch.

When Felton arrived at Georgia in April of 2003, he brought with him two assistant coaches:  associate head coach Pete Herrmann and assistant Ken McDonald.  The latter stayed one season before leaving to join Rick Barnes’ staff at Texas.  They will now face one another as opposing combatants for the first time ever.

At least one Bulldog will have good representation in attendance on Tuesday.  Junior center Albert Jackson hails from Earlington, Ky., approximately 85 miles from Bowling Green.  As an eighth-grader, he attended Felton’s camp at Western Kentucky.  It began a relationship that continued when the big left-hander matriculated to Georgia in 2006.

Georgia vs. Western Kentucky
Tonight’s game is the eighth all-time meeting between these two schools.  Georgia leads the all-time series by a 5-2 margin.  Previous meetings are as follows:
Date Ga.-WKU Site
Dec. 30, 1982 90 - 69 Atlanta, Ga.
Nov. 26, 1983 85 - 68 Bowling Green
Dec. 2, 1989 76 - 70 Bowling Green
Nov. 28, 1990 124 - 65 Athens
Nov. 23, 2004 61 - 71 Athens
Nov. 26, 2005 69 - 65 Bowling Green
Nov. 14, 2006 67 - 70 Athens

Georgia vs. the Sun Belt
Georgia has an extensive history with teams that comprise the current membership of the Sun Belt Conference:
1-0 vs. Arkansas-Little Rock, Florida Atlantic and La.-Monroe; 2-0 vs. Arkansas State; La.-Lafayette; New Orleans; 1-1 vs. Middle Tenn. State; 4-1 vs. Troy and South Alabama.
and also last season in Athens.

It is worth repeating that current Georgia coach Dennis Felton led Western Kentucky to three consecutive Sun Belt championships during the 2001-03 seasons.

Worth Mentioning...
...No one could/would argue that Dennis Felton has climbed uphill virtually since the day he was announced as the Bulldogs’ head coach in 2003.  His won/loss record is perhaps the most tangible proof of his 5-year strife.  A win Tuesday night at Western Kentucky would put his record at the .500 mark for just the sixth time since his 16-14 season of 2004.  The last time it crept over that number was on Jan. 19, 2008, when Georgia’s win over Georgia Tech put Felton’s record at 69-68.
...Georgia rookie Trey Thompkins was named Monday as the SEC’s Freshman of the Week.  The Lithonia, Ga., native played in his first two collegiate games last week. He’d been sidelined by a variety of injuries throughout the summer and pre-season period, most recently a high ankle sprain that had kept him out of Georgia’s first four games.  His team-high 23 points against Mississippi Valley State were tallied in just 21 minutes.  Already, Thompkins leads the Bulldogs in scoring average at 16.5 points per game.
...At the invitation of Associate Coach Pete Herrmann, Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz paid a visit to the Georgia team after its Sunday afternoon practice.  He addressed the squad for 15 minutes before taking on Felton in a game of H-O-R-S-E, which Felton won by one letter.  Herrmann met Smoltz through a mutual friend in 1986, when Herrmann’s Navy team won a game at Michigan State, for which Smoltz nearly signed a letter-of-intent to play basketball.

Power Leagues on ‘09 Schedule
There’s little argument that Georgia’s 2008-09 schedule is the most ambitious of the six years under head coach Dennis Felton.  Counting possible opponents in the NIT Season Tipoff, the so-called “power” conferences are well-represented.

The most challenging part of Georgia’s non-conference slate begins this week, when it travels to Western Kentucky before facing Illinois at the United Center in Chicago.  Virginia Tech, the Bulldogs’ opponent next Tuesday in Athens, is the first of two ACC opponents on the schedule (Ga. Tech is the other).  And Missouri represents the first Big 12 Conference opponent that Georgia has scheduled in the regular season since a home-and-home series with Colorado in the early 2000s.

What Georgia Must Replace in ‘09

Terrance Woodbury is Georgia’s lone returning double-figure scorer from the 2008 SEC Tournament championship team.  Its leading rebounder coming back is junior Albert Jackson, who pulled down just 4.3 boards per game last year.

The 2009 Bulldogs have just 13 collegiate letters earned between them, counting walk-on Ricky McPhee’s two letters at Gardner-Webb.  If all 14 players were 4-year seniors, there would be 42 letters among the entire squad.

The Bulldogs lost just three contributors to their ‘08 squad, but they loom significantly in their absence as the new season begins:
> Sundiata Gaines, Pt. Guard, 14.8 ppg (1st on team), 6.0 rpg (1st on team), 4.2 apg (1st on team).  Finished career as the school’s all-time leader in steals and ranks 9th in scoring, 11th in rebounding and 2nd in steals.  Currently playing professionally for the Pallacanestro Cantu team in Italy, the same club for which ex-Georgia great Bob Lienhard played eight seasons in the 1970s.
> Billy Humphrey, Guard, 12.2 ppg (2nd on team), 37% 3-pt. FG (1st on team), 1.7 apg (2nd on team), 32.3 mpg (2nd on team).
> Dave Bliss, Center, 7.6 ppg (5th on team), 5.6 rpg (2nd on team), 34 blks (1st on team).

Woodbury Tapped 2nd team All-SEC

Senior forward Terrance Woodbury was named to the Coaches’ Pre-Season All-Southeastern Conference 2nd team.  The 6-7 swingman was a key figure in Georgia’s run to the SEC Tournament championship last March, averaging 15.8 points over the 4-game weekend, including a career-best 25 points against Ole Miss in the first round.

In other pre-season picks, the Georgia team was predicted to finished 6th in the SEC East by selected media in the league.

Georgia Gets Two Early Signees
In the early national signing period that began Wednesday, Nov. 12—and concluded this Wednesday— Georgia got signatures from two local prospects:
DeMario Mayfield, Guard, 6-4, 190, Carnesville, Ga. (Franklin County High School) Regarded as a combo guard prospect in the college ranks.  Averaged 24.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game last year for Franklin County.  Rated the No. 17 point-guard prospect in the nation by espn.com’s recruiting service.
Daniel Miller, Center, 6-11, 240, Loganville, Ga. (Loganville Christian Academy)...Rated the ninth-best prospect at center in the country, according to Rivals.com...Averaged 28.8 points, 12.3 rebounds and 7.0 blocks per game in leading LCA to the 2008 championship of the Independent Christian Schools of Georgia-Alabama (LCSGA).  It was LCA’s second straight title.

Dogs Get Early Christmas Presents
When Georgia basketball players attended their annual pre-season banquet in September, they assumed their reward was a chance to meet noted ESPN analyst Jay Bilas.  They got much more than that.

The Bulldogs, at least the ones returning from last season, were presented their 2008 SEC Tournament Championship rings by head coach Dennis Felton.  The presentation turned an already festive occasion into something truly special.

The ring is pictured smaller-than-life on the back of the 2009 UGA media guide.  Ask any incumbent member of the current team after tonight’s game.  There’s a better-than-fair chance he’ll have it handy to show off.

ATHENS, Ga.(AP) The extraordinary scenes played out simultaneously on opposite sidelines at Sanford Stadium - and epitomized a tale of two seasons.

Georgia’s players dropped to a knee and gathered in a semicircle around coach Mark Richt, who appeared to give everyone quite a tongue-lashing. Across the way, Georgia Tech’s players crammed against each other for an impromptu celebration, hopping up and down in joyous unison.

“We just wanted to show that we came to play,” Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt said.

Those contrasting displays, midway through the third quarter of Saturday’s game, offered a revealing look at how the season went for both teams.

The Bulldogs came up far short of expectations. The 15th-ranked Yellow Jackets performed better than anyone could have imagined.

Georgia Tech (9-3) ended a seven-year losing streak to its state rival with a 45-42 victory that set off a raucous celebration between the hedges. The Yellow Jackets will await a bowl invitation, but the debut season of coach Paul Johnson is already an unqualified success.

“Once everything gets in, Georgia Tech is going to be a team to contend for championships,” defensive tackle Darryl Richard said.

No. 17 Georgia (9-3) was supposed to be a championship contender. The Bulldogs started the season ranked No. 1 in the country, but crushing losses to Alabama and Florida ended those hopes. Now, they aren’t even the best team in their own state.

Richt sounded as though changes might be coming, but not to his coaching staff. He said he expects his entire staff to return next season, including embattled defensive coordinator Willie Martinez.

“We’re going to do a better job next year,” Richt vowed Sunday. “We will critique everything from top to bottom. We have to be open and honest in our evaluations of ourselves.”

The third loss of the season was much like the first two. Georgia’s defense simply couldn’t stop the Yellow Jackets’ triple-option in the second half, a nagging reminder of its performances against Alabama (the Tide led 31-0 at halftime) and Florida (the Gators romped to a 49-10 victory).

Trailing 26-12 at the start of the third quarter, Georgia Tech scored on its first play from scrimmage when Jonathan Dwyer broke off a 60-yard touchdown run, followed by a two-point conversion. After the Bulldogs went three-and-out, the Yellow Jackets ripped off a 10-play, 56-yard drive capped by Roddy Jones’ 8-yard TD scamper and two-point conversion that tied the game at 28. Finally, after Richard Samuel fumbled the ensuing kickoff, Georgia Tech scored on its very next play, Dwyer’s 23-yard run.

That’s when Richt gathered his players around him on the sideline, hoping to turn the momentum. But it was the Yellow Jackets who stepped on the gas and never let up.

Georgia Tech dominated the third quarter with a 201-1 lead in rushing yards, and essentially finished off the Bulldogs when Jones got loose for a 54-yard touchdown with just over 7 minutes remaining. He broke one tackle and sped right on by Reshad Jones’ weak attempt to push him out of bounds.

Even though Georgia drove for a touchdown that closed the gap to a field goal, Georgia Tech ran off the final 4 minutes without giving the ball back.

In all, Georgia surrendered 409 yards on the ground - its worst showing since 1994. Jones ran for 214 yards, averaging a school-record 16.5 every time he touched the ball. Dwyer added 144 yards on 20 carries. Georgia Tech rallied from a big deficit despite completing just one pass the entire game.

“You can’t do that with this offense,” Johnson said sarcastically. “It’s three yards and a cloud of dust.”

It wasn’t a total victory for the Yellow Jackets. Virginia Tech beat Virginia 17-14 to clinch a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game, sealing the victory with a late interception. If the Cavaliers had won, Georgia Tech would have gone on to face Boston College in Tampa, Fla., next Saturday.

“It’s bittersweet to me still because I think we could have gone to Tampa Bay and been victorious,” Richard said. “But we had our opportunity. We can’t sulk and cry.”

Besides, the Yellow Jackets still had plenty of reason to celebrate, and that’s just what they did in front of a small contingent of gold-clad fans. They danced. They sang the “Ramblin’ Wreck” fight song. They broke off branches of the famous Sanford Stadium hedge to keep as souvenirs.

Who knows where they’ll end up next? There are all sorts of bowl options in the convoluted ACC, though the most likely ones would seem to be the Chick-fil-A in hometown Atlanta, the Gator in Jacksonville, Fla., or the Champs Sports in Orlando, Fla.

Georgia will probably accept a spot in the more attractive Capital One Bowl in Orlando, then await word on whether its two best offensive players, quarterback Matthew Stafford and running back Knowshon Moreno, will return for another season or enter the NFL draft.

No matter what they decide, the Bulldogs hope to learn from a season that will be remembered for what they didn’t do.

“We’ve got a lot of guys coming back, a lot great athletes,” linebacker Rennie Curran said. “I feel like we’re going be fine in the end. We’ve just got to look at this season, learn from our mistakes, learn what went wrong and try to improve on it.”

November 30, 2008

ATHENS, Ga. - With the regular season complete, the 17th-ranked Georgia Bulldogs now wait to learn where they will be invited for their 44th bowl game in school history. 

Georgia finished the regular season with a 9-3 mark including 6-2 in the Southeastern Conference. The Bulldogs will be making their school record 12th consecutive bowl appearance somewhere this January. On his Sunday conference call with the media, Georgia coach Mark Richt said the Bulldogs may not know until next Sunday where and who they will play in their bowl game.

“It would be premature to start talking about a matchup, all these things are going to have to wait until Sunday,” said Richt. “I believe us and Ole Miss are the candidates for the Capital One Bowl but that’s assuming the winner of the SEC Championship will play for the national championship and the loser of the SEC game will be in the Sugar Bowl.”

One possible bowl opponent for Georgia is Michigan State. A Bulldog-Spartan contest would feature two of the nation’s top running backs that are among the three finalists for the Doak Walker Award. Bulldog sophomore Knowshon Moreno leads the SEC with 1,338 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. MSU senior Javon Ringer ranks third nationally with 1,590 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. Richt said a matchup of these two teams would be wonderful if it happens.

“It’s important to finish strong, and it would be nice to get that tenth victory,” said Richt on what’s at stake in the upcoming bowl game. “We’ll get one more opportunity to play on national television, and we want to have a good showing. We want our seniors to have a victory in their last game. It’s important to win period, we all know that.”

Overall, Georgia is 24-16-3 in bowl games including 5-2 under Richt. Georgia’s current postseason bowl streak began during the 1997 season under former coach Jim Donnan as the Bulldogs capped a 10-2 season with a win over Wisconsin in the Outback Bowl.

Georgia will take the first part of the week off and hold its first practice on Thursday. Richt, along with the coordinators, will run most of practice with some coaches out of town recruiting. On Saturday, the full staff will be back and the team will practice again. Richt said the bowl practice schedule has not been set yet, and he indicated the team likely would have a five-day holiday break before reporting to the bowl site.

Richt reflected on the regular season and said it has not been an easy one and that the bar has been raised at Georgia. He said he wants Georgia to be in the hunt for a championship every year. Also, he promised that “we’re going to do a better job next year...we will critique everything from top to bottom. We have to be open and honest in our evaluations of ourselves.”

November 30, 2008

Athens, Ga. --- The Georgia Lady Bulldogs host East Tennessee State at 7:00 p.m. on Monday night trying to make history. Georgia enters the contest at Stegeman Coliseum looking to become the 10th NCAA Division I women’s basketball program to record 750 all-time victories.

Georgia has compiled a 749-311 record in 35 seasons of intercollegiate competition in women’s basketball.

Georgia has been climbing the ledger listing the nation’s winningest all-time program’s at a rapid pace. The Lady Bulldogs became the 22nd team to 500 wins on Dec. 1, 1998; the 17th program to post 600 victories on Feb. 21, 2002; and the 15th team to record 700 “Ws” on Nov. 29, 2006.

Obtaining the milestone versus the Lady Bucaneers will be a challenging task. Georgia will be playing its fourth game in six days following wins over North Carolina Central last Wednesday, Cal State Fullerton on Friday and Eastern Washington on Saturday.

Georgia’s ultra-busy stretch continues with four more contests in the next week. Beginning Monday, the Lady Bulldogs will face three teams – East Tennessee State, Georgia Tech and Rutgers – that advanced to the 2008 NCAA Tournament. Also included in that span is a matchup with Tennessee Tech, a perennial mid-major power with a double-digit tally of NCAA bids of its own.

While Andy Landers doesn’t think the wins or losses accumulated over the next week will make or break Georgia’s season, he is a firm believer that the Lady Bulldogs’ opponents during that span all have a winner’s swagger.

“There’s no question when you play an NCAA Tournament team it’s an attention getter,” Landers said. “You’re talking about teams that know how to win, the process it takes to win and what it takes to do just that. You don’t make it to the NCAA Tournament without that understanding. In order to qualify, you’ve had to win games at home, win games on the road, win games against teams you’re supposed to beat and beaten your chief rivals or competitors. That’s the only way to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.”

Reserved seat tickets for Lady Bulldog Basketball games are $5 for adults and $3 for youth. UGA faculty, staff and students are admitted to Lady Bulldog games free of charge with a valid UGA ID and can claim their tickets beginning at 5:30 at Ticket Booth 4 at Stegeman Coliseum.

Tickets are available by phone at 1-877-542-1231 or in person at the UGA Ticket Office in the Butts-Mehre Building from 8:30-4:30. On Monay, tickets will go on sale at Stegeman Coliseum Ticket Booths 1, 2 and 5 beginning at 3:30 p.m.

November 30, 2008

Photo Album

ATHENS, Ga. - For the mountain of trophies, honors and titles on the mantle of Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz, his first love has always been basketball. He showed the Georgia team why in a special visit after the Bulldogs’ practice on Sunday afternoon.

Smoltz addressed the Bulldogs for 15 minutes at their Training Facility gym before the Main Event. The future Hall of Famer then took on head coach Dennis Felton in a friendly, but competitive game of HORSE.

“Anyone that knows me knows that I love basketball,” Smoltz said afterward. “I’ve played it the longest, I continue to play it, I’ve coached it and I hope to continue coaching and playing long after my baseball career is over. It was a privilege to be invited over to meet these young men today, and to give them some words of encouragement.”

Smoltz came to Athens at the invitation of associate head coach Pete Herrmann. The two have known each other since the mid-1980s, when Herrmann’s Navy team played a game at Michigan State, where Smoltz nearly attended on a basketball scholarship. Smoltz, a two-time All-State hoopster from Lansing, Mich., attended that game in November of 1986, when the Midshipmen won 91-90 in overtime.

For the record, Felton defeated Smoltz in HORSE, but not by much. Felton led the competition S-to-O before Smoltz suggested a change in the playing rules: not until the winner had made the winning shot TWICE could he be declared victorious. Smoltz then rang up two quick letters for Felton, tying the score, before the Georgia coach broke through with a pair of 3-pointers from the right wing.

Neither player attempted a shot inside of 3-point range. Smoltz, in fact, took many shots from beyond the NBA 3-point stripe of 23 feet, 9 inches.

November 29, 2008

Photo Album
Post-game Notes and Quotes
Complete Stats

ATHENS, Ga. - Georgia Tech had not beaten Georgia since 2000, and it wasn’t looking good when the Yellow Jackets trailed by 16 points at halftime.

Then Roddy Jones and the triple-option offense went to work.

Jones rushed a career-best 214 yards, including a decisive 54-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter, and No. 22 Georgia Tech rallied to snap a seven-game losing streak against its state rival with a 45-42 victory over 11th-ranked Georgia on Saturday.

The cold, rainy day wasn’t a total victory for the visiting team: Virginia Tech denied the Yellow Jackets a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game with a 17-14 victory over Virginia.

But Georgia Tech (9-3) celebrated anyway, gathering in front of its small contingent at Sanford Stadium to sing the school fight song while the red-clad Georgia fans headed to the exits, a season that started at No. 1 winding down far short of expectations.

After building a 28-12 halftime lead, the Bulldogs (9-3) simply had no answer for Georgia Tech’s unique offense, which piled up 409 yards on the ground. Jones, a redshirt freshman, averaged 16.5 yards per carry and scored twice, including the long run that gave Georgia Tech a 45-35 lead with 7:13 remaining.

Jonathan Dwyer added 144 yards rushing and scored two TDs of his own.

Georgia lost despite Matthew Stafford tying a school record with five touchdown passes—three of them to Mohamed Massaquoi—in what might have been his final game between the hedges. The junior quarterback said he’ll consider entering the NFL draft.

Stafford looked like he would go out a winner, despite an errant throw that Morgan Burnett picked off and returned 35 yards for Georgia Tech’s first TD.

Stafford capped Georgia’s opening drive with a 1-yard scoring pass to Tripp Chandler, then hooked up with Massaquoi on touchdown passes of 10, 49 and 3 yards. Georgia Tech botched the extra point after Burnett’s TD, then was unsuccessful on a two-point try after Lucas Cox scored on a 2-yard run.

But the Yellow Jackets turned the game around with a stunning display at the start of the third quarter. On their first play from scrimmage, Dwyer broke off a 60-yard touchdown run, then got in on the two-point conversion that made it 28-20.

Georgia went three-and-out, and Georgia Tech quickly marched for another score on Jones’ 8-yard run. Nesbitt’s conversion run put up another two points, tying the game at 28.

Richard Samuel fumbled the ensuing kickoff, the Yellow jackets recovered and scored on the very next play: Dwyer’s 23-yard run. Two TDs just 16 seconds apart gave Georgia Tech its first lead of the game, 35-28, and the Bulldogs never recovered.

Stafford finished 24-of-39 for 407 yards, becoming the third quarterback in school history to throw five TDs in game. David Greene and D.J. Shockley also did it. Massaquoi had 11 receptions for 180 yards.

Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno, who like Stafford may leave school early for the NFL, rushed for 94 yards and scored on a 32-yard run. Stafford added a 12-yard scoring pass to A.J. Green with 4:04 remaining, but the Bulldogs couldn’t stop the triple-option.

Georgia Tech ran out the clock without giving Georgia another shot. 

November 29, 2008

ATHENS, Ga. – Fans can celebrate the career of legendary Georgia play-by-play announcer Larry Munson with a special print designed by artist Steve Penley.  The original of the print has been presented to Munson.

The print is two feet by three feet in size and features a 1-inch white border.

A limited edition of 100 prints signed by Munson and Penley is available for $500 each. Fans also can order unsigned prints for $250 each.

Proceeds from the sales of these prints will benefit the UGA Athletic Association facility project in Munson’s name.

All orders placed by Dec. 7 will be guaranteed to be shipped and arrive in time for the holidays. All orders placed after Dec. 7 will be shipped as soon as possible.

Purchase Now

November 29, 2008

ATHENS, Ga. --- Legendary University of Georgia football play-by-play announcer Larry Munson, who broadcast Georgia football from 1966 to early 2008, will be honored in ceremonies at Sanford Stadium Saturday during the Georgia-Georgia Tech football game.

Munson announced his retirement from the booth earlier this fall.

“I can’t express enough my deep feelings toward the Georgia football fans,” said Munson back in September.  “They have been so friendly especially during this most recent period of time.  I feel I owe them so much more than I can give.  I’ll remember all the great times with the Dogs and have the fondest wishes and good luck toward them all.”

Georgia Director of Athletics Damon Evans thanked Munson “for 42 dedicated years of delivering the Georgia Bulldogs to fans on fall Saturday’s around the world. Larry Munson is and will always be a part of what is great about being a Georgia Bulldog.”

Munson’s dramatic delivery, along with an unabashed partisanship for the Bulldogs, has endeared him to generations of UGA fans.

“Larry Munson has given the bulk of his professional life in the service of the Bulldog Nation and we thank him for it,” said UGA President Dr. Michael F. Adams.  “He has been a unifying element and rallying point for many years.”

“We fully support Larry’s wishes and can’t thank him enough for the thrilling play-by-play he’s given the Bulldog Nation and WSB through the years,” said Cox Radio, Inc. Chief Operating Officer Marc Morgan.

Born Sept. 28, 1921, in Minneapolis, Munson is an alumnus of Moorehead State Teachers College in Moorehead, Minn.  After World War II, he used his military discharge pay to enroll in broadcaster’s school back home in Minneapolis.  He followed 10 weeks of training by landing an assignment to work at a small radio station in Devil’s Lake, N.D.

This job started a series of short-term jobs for Munson behind the microphone, the last of which took him to Cheyenne, Wyoming.  He had gotten the job by recording an audition tape of a football game between Ohio State and Minnesota, replete with canned crowd noise and special effects.

During his time in Cheyenne, Munson befriended another young broadcaster who later gained national fame:  Curt Gowdy, who was calling University of Wyoming football and basketball games at the time.  When Gowdy left Cheyenne for a Double A baseball job in Oklahoma City, he recommended that Munson replace him.  It was the break that Munson sought.

In 1949, when Gowdy joined Mel Allen on the New York Yankees radio crew, he again recommended Munson for the job in Oklahoma City. Munson eventually spent three years broadcasting baseball there before making his next move.

He left Oklahoma City for Nashville, Tenn., in 1952, taking a job calling games for the Nashville Vols, a minor-league affiliate of several teams, including the New York Giants, Cincinnati and Minnesota. It was a career move that led him into other broadcasting directions.  He served a stint as a Nashville disc jockey and also started what was believed to have been the first-ever TV show on fishing.  Munson continued to host the fishing show long after he left Nashville for Georgia in the mid-1960s.

While in Nashville, Munson also made his second venture into collegiate athletics.  He called Vanderbilt University football and basketball games over the powerful airwaves of AM station WSM.

But in 1966 Munson got his big break into major-league baseball when he landed a job calling Atlanta Braves baseball in their inaugural season.  As the Braves’ first spring training began, he read a newspaper story about the departure of Georgia football announcer Ed Thilenius.  He then made an inquiry to UGA athletics director Joel Eaves, whom he had known during his days at Vanderbilt. Eaves offered him the Georgia football job during that first phone call.

During his career as the Bulldogs’ play-by-play man, Munson has held a variety of auxiliary jobs.  He called games for the Georgia basketball program from 1987-96 and for the Atlanta Falcons from 1989-92.  He has also hosted various sports talk shows on radio and TV.

In 1983, Munson was recognized by the Georgia General Assembly “for his role in the Georgia championship football program.” Fourteen years later the same legislative body, led by Governor Zell Miller, honored him with a proclamation celebrating his 50 years in broadcasting.

In 1994, Munson was inducted into the Georgia Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, and in 2005, he won a similar induction into the State of Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.

Munson is also the 2003 recipient of the Chris Schenkel Award, given annually by the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.  The award recognizes broadcasters with long and distinguished careers in broadcasting college football, as well as their contributions to community service.

November 29, 2008

Lady Bulldogs vs. Eastern Washington box score

Las Vegas, Nev. --- Ashley Houts scored 22 points, her second season-high output in as many days, to lead the Georgia Lady Bulldogs (5-1) to a 75-51 victory over Eastern Washington (2-3) in the championship game of UNLV’s Lady Rebel Round-up on Saturday afternoon.

“Defensively, we did what we needed to go,” Andy Landers said. “We made it difficult for them to catch ball and get into their offenses and that paid off.”

Georgia forced 23 turnovers, including 14 in the first half. Christy Marshall added 11 points for Georgia.

Houts scored 15 first-half points as Georgia opened up 34-20 lead at the break and maintained a comfortable lead the rest of the way. She was named the tournament’s MVP after averaging 21.0 points in two contests.

“Ashley played and scored very well out here,” Landers said. “She made terrific decisions on when to penetrate and when to take it all the way. When she go all the way to hole, she did an excellent job of finishing.”

The Lady Bulldogs took charge with a 15-2 run beginning at the midway point of the opening half. Danielle Taylor and Houts, the team’s co-captains, keyed the surge, combining for 11 of those points in a span of 9:23 which put Georgia up 29-14.

The Lady Bulldogs will catch a red-eye flight back to Athens on Saturday night before hosting East Tennessee State on Monday evening in Georgia’s fourth game in six days.

ATHENS, Ga.(AP) Paul Johnson smirked when someone asked for a quick comparison between the two coaches who’ll be facing off for the first time in the Georgia Tech-Georgia rivalry.

“What? He’s a good guy and I’m a bad guy?” said Johnson, Georgia Tech’s first-year coach. “I guess I’m Dr. Evil.”

While neither will take a snap on Saturday, the two guys running things on the sidelines provide a compelling contrast that could add a spark to this one-sided series.

Richt is already a revered figure at Georgia, which is on the verge of its sixth 10-win season in his eight years as coach. Johnson is a rookie to the rivalry, but he certainly wasted no time trying to get under the skin of the Bulldogs by repeating a familiar cheer at booster club meetings.

“When you say ‘To hell with Georgia,’ they clap really loudly. That’s why you say it,” Johnson said. And what about Georgia fans who’ve complained? “My concern about the Georgia people is very minimal,” he replied. “They’re not paying my salary.”

Richt has built a sterling reputation as a churchgoing family man who, at times, seems almost two good to be true.

He and his wife already had two children when they adopted two more from an orphanage in the Ukraine, inspired by a Sunday school lesson that challenged everyone to do more for the world’s needy. Richt never curses and will always interject “bless you” when a member of the media sneezes during one of his news conferences.

Not exactly another Woody Hayes, though Richt does play a bit of good cop-bad cop by surrounding himself with salty mouthed assistants and laughing off complaints about his offensive line coach Stacy Searels, who refuses to talk with reporters.

Richt also began showing a bit more of his personality after giving up the offensive play-calling duties to coordinator Mike Bobo late in the 2006 season.

“When I called the game, I had to stay calm so I could think straight and make the best decisions for my team,” Richt said. “Now that I’m not making as many decisions throughout the game, I have more time be outwardly emotional and still keep my head in the game for the decisions I do need to make.”

Johnson approaches his job with a bit of a disdain for those who don’t measure up to his exacting standard, whether it’s a player who keeps making the same mistake in practice, a journalists who asks what he deems to be a silly question - or even his own child.

“I’m pretty demanding in that I have high expectation levels for people,” he said. “Not just in football. My wife tells me sometimes I’m hard on my daughter that way. She makes a 95 on a test and I wonder why she didn’t make 98. That’s just my nature.”

During his very first game at Georgia Tech, Johnson was photographed going face-to-facemask with freshman Embry Peeples, yelling at the youngster while holding a fistful of his jersey. Clearly, this coach will not stand for mediocrity that prevailed under previous coach Chan Gailey, whose teams were always good enough to go a minor bowl but never accomplished much more than that.

Johnson was expected to have a rough debut season, especially since he was switching from a pro-style offense to the triple-option, but the 18th-ranked Yellow Jackets (8-3) have exceeded all expectations. They can even claim a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game if Virginia beats Virginia Tech in a contest that kicks off at the same time Saturday.

“I don’t have any doubt that I’m pretty intense most of the time,” Johnson said. “My goal in coaching is to have players come back later and say, ‘Coach, I just want to thank you. I don’t know if I liked you much when I played for you because you were on me all the time. But now that I’m gone, I realize how much that helped me and raised my expectation level in what I’m doing."’

Richt is rarely seen yelling at his players, at least in public, but there’s no doubt he demands the same level of commitment and dedication. In a sign of just how far he’s taken this program, No. 13 Georgia (9-2) is viewed as a bit of a disappointment despite being on the cusp of double-digit wins.

The Bulldogs started the year ranked No. 1 but won’t even get a chance to play for the Southeastern Conference championship. Still, Georgia can bolster its bowl standing and maintain the state’s pecking order with an eighth straight win over the Yellow Jackets.

But as soon as Johnson was hired by Georgia Tech, Richt knew his team would have its hands full at the end of each season trying to defend a run-oriented offense that is largely unseen at the major-college level.

“You just shake your head and know it’s going to become an issue on preparing for them,” Richt said. “It’s just so different than anything else that we see. It’s just very difficult to simulate and prepare for.”

Johnson, of course, knows he can give his program a huge image boost by knocking off the Bulldogs in his very first try.

“All the talking in the world is not going to change it,” he said. “We’ve got to go out and win the game if it’s going to become a rivalry. We’ll go play and see if we’re good enough. Most people would think we’re not right now. I doubt we’ll be favored by anyone. My job as the coach here is to get us to the point where we are favored some time.

“Now, does that mean I don’t think we have a chance this year? Nope.”

November 28, 2008

Lady Bulldogs vs. Cal State Fullerton box score

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Ashley Houts scored 20 points and Christy Marshall chipped in a career-high 18 to lead Georgia (4-1) to an 85-64 win over Cal State Fullerton (2-2) in the opening round of UNLV’s Lady Rebel Round-up here on Friday afternoon.

The Lady Bulldogs used a 22-2 surge midway through the first half to break open a close game and never allowed the Titans closer than 12 points in the second stanza.

“I thought the effort was better and much more consistent,” head coach Andy Landers said. “We rebounded the basketball in a dominant fashion and that was very impressive to me. In the second half, we made plays when we had to.”

The Lady Bulldogs also received double-doubles from Angel Robinson (17 points, 10 rebounds) and Porsha Phillips (12 points, 11 rebounds). Georgia outrebounded Cal State Fullerton by a wide margin, 52-28, which led to 25 second-chance points. The Lady Bulldogs connected on 53.0 percent of their shots from the floor.

Houts’ scoring tally represented a season high, while Marshall improved her previous scoring high as a Lady Bulldog of 17 points against Georgia Southern last season and against Alabama during her freshman year.

Following six ties and four lead changes during the first 10:47, Houts canned a three-pointer to put the Lady Bulldogs up 23-20 and ignite the 22-2 run over the next 6:40.

Cal State Fullerton kept the game close by virtue of the three-pointer. Four of the Titan’s first five buckets were from behind the arc and they finished the game with more threes (12) than two-point field goals (10).

The closest Fullerton got in the second half was 12 with 13:01 left, but Georgia answered with an 8-0 run over the next 3:13. A driving layup from Jaleesa Rhoden was followed by an offensive rebound and layup by Jasmine Lee, a layup in transition by Marshall and a second stickback by Lee

The Lady Bulldogs will now face the winner of Friday’s second game between UNLV and Eastern Washington at 5:00 p.m. ET on Saturday afternoon.

Georgia will return to action in Athens on Monday when the Lady Bulldogs host East Tennessee State at Stegeman Coliseum at 7:00 p.m. Georgia will also take on Tennessee Tech at home on Wednesday at 7:00 before traveling to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech at 7:00 p.m. at Alexander Memorial Coliseum.