http://www.bulldogs.com/georgia/index en lindsey@822media.net Copyright 2008 2008-11-20T15:41:00-06:00 http://www.bulldogs.com/georgia/bulldogs_hold_early_thursday_morning_practice/ http://www.bulldogs.com/georgia/bulldogs_hold_early_thursday_morning_practice/#When:14:41:00Z 11/20/08 - ATHENS, Ga. --- The 13th-ranked Georgia football team held its final practice of the week Thursday as the Bulldogs have an open date Saturday prior to the Nov. 29 game against Georgia Tech.Courtesy of Georgia Sports Communications November 20, 2008 ATHENS, Ga. --- The 13th-ranked Georgia football team held its final practice of the week Thursday as the Bulldogs have an open date Saturday prior to the Nov. 29 game against Georgia Tech. Thursday’s session, which lasted just over 90 minutes, was held at the Woodruff Practice Fields at 5:30 a.m. due to academic obligations in the afternoon. Coach Mark Richt said the Bulldogs are making progress as they prepare for Georgia Tech’s triple-option attack. “It was a good practice and we are starting to get it,” Richt said.  “The scout team is starting to get a better feel and the defense is starting to get a better feel.  We still have a long way to go.” After brief running and lifting sessions Friday, the team will take the weekend off before it resumes preparations for Georgia Tech on Monday. Georgia (9-2) will try to win its eighth straight game against the Yellow Jackets (7-3).  Kickoff is set for noon at Sanford Stadium, and the game will be televised nationally on CBS with Craig Bolerjack and Trev Alberts calling the action. All Georgia games are broadcast live on the Bulldog Radio Network on AM 750 WSB in Atlanta and on both 106.1 FM and 960 The Ref in Athens. The radio audio also can be heard worldwide on both georgiadogs.com, the official website of UGA Athletics, and on XM Satellite Radio. Football, News 2008-11-20T14:41:00-06:00 http://www.bulldogs.com/georgia/bulldogs_return_to_practice_and_prepare_for_tech/ http://www.bulldogs.com/georgia/bulldogs_return_to_practice_and_prepare_for_tech/#When:14:38:00Z 11/19/08 - ATHENS, Ga.- After a couple of days of just running and lifting weights, the 13th-ranked Georgia Bulldogs returned to the practice field Wednesday for a two-hour workout in full pads.Courtesy of Georgia Sports Communications November 19, 2008 ATHENS, Ga.---After a couple of days of just running and lifting weights, the 13th-ranked Georgia Bulldogs returned to the practice field Wednesday for a two-hour workout in full pads. The Bulldogs (9-2) have an open date this Saturday after playing four consecutive weeks on the road. Georgia will practice again at 5:30 a.m. Thursday and then Friday is slated to be another running and lifting session. The team will take the weekend off and resume the normal game week practice schedule on Monday, Nov. 24. Georgia head coach Mark Richt said Thursday’s early morning workout is due to academic responsibilities of several student-athletes. “The morning is the best practice time for us Thursday as we have a lot of academic issues in the afternoon,” said Richt. “We’re leaving it up to the guys to get here in the morning.” Richt said the Bulldogs began their preparation for the final regular season game with Georgia Tech. “Today was not pretty but it was a start,” said Richt. “Bacarri Rambo ran their (Georgia Tech) system for our scout team, and he’s a very talented runner and passer. He’s not a bad quarterback. We’ll get more scout team work this week.” Rambo, a 6-1, 208-pound native of Donalsonville, Ga., is a true freshman safety who is being redshirted this season. Redshirt freshman quarterback Logan Gray has seen action as a punt returner this season, and Richt said he has done a nice job in that role. “He’s been in there in situations where he’s deep, like at the 10 yard line, and he has to decide whether to catch it or let it go,” said Richt. “He has had a chance to return a few, and he’s made good decisions. That’s half the battle there and also to catch the ball.” The winner of the Georgia-Georgia Tech game receives the Governor’s Cup Trophy. Under Richt, Georgia is a perfect 7-0 versus the Yellow Jackets. Kickoff is slated for noon, and the game will be televised live by CBS. All Georgia games are broadcast live on the Bulldog Radio Network on AM 750 WSB in Atlanta and on both 960 The Ref in Athens. The radio audio also can be heard worldwide on both georgiadogs.com, the official website of UGA Athletics, and on XM satellite radio. Football, News 2008-11-19T14:38:00-06:00 http://www.bulldogs.com/georgia/lady_bulldogs_travel_to_detroit_to_face_oakland/ http://www.bulldogs.com/georgia/lady_bulldogs_travel_to_detroit_to_face_oakland/#When:14:33:00Z 11/19/08 - The Georgia Lady Bulldogs christen the road portion of their 2008-09 schedule this week with a trip to Detroit for dates against Oakland and Detroit.Courtesy of Georgia Sports Communications November 19, 2008 Lady Bulldog vs. Oakland Game Notes Georgia Lady Bulldog Basketball Georgia vs. Oakland Athletics Center O’Rena • Rochester, Mich. Thursday, November 20 at 7:00 p.m. The basics The Georgia Lady Bulldogs christen the road portion of their 2008-09 schedule this week with a trip to Detroit for dates against Oakland and Detroit. Georgia faces the Golden Grizzlies at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday and then meets Detroit in a 2:30 matinee on Saturday afternoon. A year ago, the Lady Bulldogs were a dozen games and almost into the 2008 calendar before they played their first true “road” game. Georgia began the season with eight home dates and three neutral site contests before facing Florida International in the championship game of the FIU Fun & Sun Classic on Dec. 30. The Lady Bulldogs’ 2008-09 slate is dramatically different, however. Georgia has six road games – and a potential seventh vs. UNLV at its Lady Rebel Round-up – before January arrives. Head coach Andy Landers realizes that the task of facing teams on their home floors is more daunting. “Playing on the road, on another team’s home floor, always is a challenge,” Landers said. “When you do so and play a quality opponent, which Oakland is, and it’s early in the season, that just ratchets up the difficulty even a little bit more.” A year ago, Oakland built a double-digit, first-half lead before Georgia rallied to a 10-point win. The Golden Grizzlies return virtually intact this fall, with all five starters and six additional letterwinners back. “They were very well coached,” Landers said of last year’s game. “You could see that. They were well coached. They were conditioned. They knew what they were going – what they were supposed to do – and they really executed that very well.” While Oakland is a similar squad, the Lady Bulldogs sport quite a different look than a year ago. Three starters return; however, four-time All-American Tasha Humphrey and Megan Darrah have departed. The Lady Bulldogs are more athletic in the frontcourt with the addition of Porsha Phillips, a McDonald’s All-American in 2006 who sat out last season after transferring from LSU. Landers has been extremely pleased with his team’s attitude and effort to this point. “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.” Lady Dogs vs. OU, Summit Georgia 3-0 all-time versus Oakland, including a 69-59 win on Nov. 29 last season. Tasha Humphrey, Angel Robinson and Megan Darrah all posted double-doubles as Georgia rallied from a 13-point first-half deficit and used a 9-0 run to break free from a 55-55 tie. The Lady Bulldogs also swept both ends of a home-and-home series with OU contested in the early portions of the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons. Georgia sports an 11-1 record against teams which currently compete in the Summit League. In addition to the 3-0 mark versus OU, the Lady Bulldogs are 1-0 vs. Missouri-Kansas City, 5-1 vs. Oral Roberts and 2-0 vs. Southern Utah. Last time out... Transfer Porsha Phillips posted career- and game-high tallies of 15 points, eight rebounds and four steals to lead the Lady Bulldogs to an 85-35 victory over Alabama State on Nov. 15. Phillips, Ashley Houts and Christy Marshall combined to score Georgia’s first 16 points as the Lady Bulldogs opened up a 10-point lead less than five minutes in and never looked back. The Lady Bulldogs led by 20 or more points for the final 26:31 of the contest, by 30 or more from the 13:14 mark of the second half and by 40 or more for the last 7:06. The 50-point margin of victory was the Georgia’s largest lead of the evening. Phillips, a native of Stone Mountain, Ga., played at LSU as a freshman in 2006-07 before transferring to Georgia and sitting out last season. Her previous best performances were 12 points, seven rebounds and three steals while with the Lady Tigers. Houts added 14 points, Danielle Taylor chipped in 12 points off the bench and Marshall scored 11 points to go along with a career-high six assists. Thanksgiving comes early Next Thursday will serve as Thanksgiving in the U.S. Canada observes Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October. Pardon Lady Bulldog sophomore Jaleesa Rhoden if she splits the difference and gives thanks this weekend for the chance to play in front of family and friends. Rhoden is a native of London, Ontario, about a two-hour drive from Detroit. Her immediate family – dad Tony, mom Jennifer and brothers Marlon and Justin – will be in attendance at both games this weekend. In addition, a throng of up to 50 is expected to bus across the border for Saturday’s game at Detroit. Shocking association with UGA The WNBA’s Detroit Shock has been the league’s most successful franchise of late. And Georgia Lady Bulldogs have played a large part in that run. Three former Lady Bulldogs have combined to earn seven WNBA Championship rings with Detroit. Most notably, Deanna “Tweety” Nolan has starred on all three of the Shock’s WNBA title teams in 2003, ’06 and ’08. A native of Flint, Mich., Nolan was ranked in the 70s among the nation’s top prospects when she arrived at Georgia in the fall of 1997. Four years later, she departed Athens as the No. 6 overall pick in the WNBA Draft. Nolan has spent her entire accolade-filled career with the Shock. She was tabbed MVP of the 2006 WNBA Finals, has been named to six WNBA All-Star teams and is a four-time All-WNBA selection. Kedra Holland-Corn was a member of Detroit’s first two championships, while Kara Braxton has played in a key role in the last two titles. In addition, Georgia’s Tasha Humphrey was a first-round pick of the Shock during the 2008 draft but was later traded to Washington mid-season. Georgia’s Magic Number: 80 The Lady Bulldogs’ 85-35 win over Alabama State 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 statistical indicator of a game’s outcome other than the obvious...scoring more points than the opponent. Georgia’s is now 416-7 when the Lady Dogs have put up 80 or more on Landers’ watch, a success rate of 98.3451536 percent over the past 29-plus seasons. Conversely, Georgia is just 28-8 (.778) when the Lady Bulldogs score exactly 79 points, with half of those setbacks being by a margin of three points or less. Georgia 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’s 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 as outlined in the column to the right. 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 Bulldogs ink 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. 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 opener provided the opportunity for the Lady Bulldogs’ three walk-ons to make their initial collegiate appearances...and they certainly didn’t disappoint. Sophomore Sarah Stoddard checked into the game first and logged five minutes of action, while freshman Destinie Smith and junior 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. Milestone watch Both the University of Georgia and Andy Landers are quickly closing in on significant victory tallies. Georgia has compiled a 745-310 record in 35 seasons of intercollegiate competition in women’s basketball. Only nine NCAA Division I programs have reached the 750-win plateau entering 2008-09. 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. Andy Landers has recorded a 790-246 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 at some point this winter. 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 for this season to just nine. 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 television a total of 10 times during the 2008-09 regular-season campaign. The Lady Dogs’ initial TV date is against Rutgers in the Jimmy V Classic on Dec. 8, a contest that will be televised on ESPN2. ESPN2 also will air Georgia’s game at Vanderbilt on Feb. 15. 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 10 seasons, Georgia has had 142 televised contests. Over the past five seasons, the Lady Dogs have appeared on TV 81 times, 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. For the coaches, Mississippi State was tabbed No. 8, followed by Ole Miss, South Carolina and Arkansas. For the media, Ole Miss was chosen at No. 8, with Mississippi State, Arkansas and South Carolina occupying the No. 9-11 slots. Happy Turkey Day! The UGA Athletic Association and Honey Baked Hams have teamed up for a special Thanksgiving promotion in association with the Lady Bulldogs’ game against North Carolina Central next Wednesday. The end result will provide numerous prizes for fans in attendance, including Honey Baked turkeys for several lucky families. Fans at the game will be able to register for a random drawing for 10 turkeys which will be given out throughout the game. Spectators also can register to participate in “turkey bowling” for another chance to win a turkey courtesy of Honey Baked Ham. In addition, entries for a coloring contest were distributed to school children in Athens/Clarke County and surrounding areas earlier this month. All children who turn in their completed sheets at the Lady Bulldogs’ game with the Lady Eagles will be entered into a contest. The best entries will receive a turkey-shaped stuffed animal. Children ages 14 and under are eligible for the coloring contest. Kids who did not receive the entry at school can download the coloring sheet at the promotions page on georgiadogs.com. After reaching the georgiadogs.com home page, click on the “Promotions Calendar” prompt under the “Fan Zone” bar at the top of the page. Fans also can print out coupons for $1 admission to the N.C. Central contest on that promotions page. Rounding out the night, Hairy Dawg and his special guest Hamby, the Honey Baked Ham mascot, will be available for photos with fans at the game. Up next: The Lady Bulldogs complete their two-game swing to Detroit with a Saturday afternoon game against the Detroit Titans. Georgia owns a 2-0 lead in its all-time series with Detroit, sweeping both ends of a home-and-home series during the 1987-88 and 1988-89 campaigns. Tammye Jenkins scored 18 points to lead six Lady Bulldogs in double figures in a 98-54 victory in the most recent matchup on Dec. 19, 1988, at Calihan Hall. Of note, Carla Green – who today as Dr. Carla Green Williams is UGA’s Senior Associate AD, Senior Woman Administrator and Andy Landers’ boss – put up perhaps the most stellar linescore of her career against the Titans. Green chipped in 17 points, grabbed nine rebounds, dished out six assists (to one turnover) and collected four steals in 30 minutes of action. Sherelle Warren’s double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds paced Georgia to an 87-47 victory in the initial game of the series contested on Jan. 11, 1988 at the then-Georgia Coliseum. Women's Basketball, News 2008-11-19T14:33:00-06:00 http://www.bulldogs.com/georgia/georgia_to_host_nit_season_tip_off_consolation_games/ http://www.bulldogs.com/georgia/georgia_to_host_nit_season_tip_off_consolation_games/#When:14:29:00Z 11/19/08 - The University of Georgia will serve as one of three on-campus host sites for the Consolation Bracket of the 2008 Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off, it was announced today by the NIT home office in New York.Courtesy of Georgia Sports Communications November 19, 2008 NIT Season Tip-Off Tickets On Sale for 3rd and 4th Rounds Consolation Bracket The University of Georgia will serve as one of three on-campus host sites for the Consolation Bracket of the 2008 Dick’s Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off, it was announced today by the NIT home office in New York. Arizona, Santa Clara and Mississippi Valley State will join Georgia in the 2-day, 4-game bracket at Stegeman Coliseum next Monday-Tuesday, Nov. 24-25.  On Monday, Arizona will face Mississippi Valley State at 5:45 p.m., with the Georgia-Santa Clara matchup to follow at 8:00 p.m.  The next day Arizona will face Santa Clara at 5:45, and the Georgia-Mississippi Valley State contest will follow at 8:00 p.m. “We are very excited about continuing in the NIT Season Tip-Off and playing back-to-back games at Stegeman Coliseum in front of our fans,” said Georgia head coach Dennis Felton.  “We will be hosting some high-quality programs from different parts of the country.  I can’t think of a better way for Georgia fans to spend their time, going into the Thanksgiving holiday, than supporting this fine tournament and our team.” Boston College, Purdue, Oklahoma and UAB advanced to the semifinals next week in New York.  All 12 remaining teams will participate in the first-ever Consolation Bracket.  In addition to Athens, other consolation sites include Davidson, N.C., and Jamaica, N.Y. (St. John’s). The Bulldogs (2-1) dropped their first game in the NIT Season Tip-Off, 74-53 to Loyola of Chicago at West Lafayette, Ind., on Monday night.  Yesterday they edged Eastern Michigan 61-60 in their second contest.  Mississippi Valley State dropped a pair of games at Norman, Okla., first to the host Sooners and also to James Madison.  Santa Clara also lost both of their first-round games, first to UAB and then to Florida Atlantic, at Tucson, Ariz.  The host Wildcats won their first game over Florida Atlantic before losing their second contest to UAB. There will be no live television coverage of the NIT Season Tip-Off consolation bracket.  Fans of all four schools participating next week in Athens can access a live statistics feed from each game by clicking here. Basketball, News 2008-11-19T14:29:00-06:00 http://www.bulldogs.com/georgia/nit_season_tip_off_tickets_on_sale_for_3rd_and_4th_rounds/ http://www.bulldogs.com/georgia/nit_season_tip_off_tickets_on_sale_for_3rd_and_4th_rounds/#When:14:26:00Z 11/19/08 - ATHENS – Tickets for the NIT Season Tip-Off Third and Fourth Rounds hosted by the University of Georgia on Monday, November 24, and Tuesday, November 25, are on sale now. Courtesy of Georgia Sports Communications November 19, 2008 ATHENS – Tickets for the NIT Season Tip-Off Third and Fourth Rounds hosted by the University of Georgia on Monday, November 24, and Tuesday, November 25, are on sale now. Reserved seat tickets are $15 each and can be ordered online CLICK HERE, by calling 877-542-1231 and beginning at 4:15pm on the day of the game at Stegeman Coliseum ticket windows. UGA Student tickets are $4 each and will go on sale beginning at 4:15pm each day of the tournament at Stegeman Coliseum Ticket Booth 4. UGA Students must show their valid UGA ID when purchasing their tickets. Tickets are good for admission to both games of the each day’s doubleheader. All season ticket holders (BEF donors, UGA Students and Faculty/Staff) received tickets to the NIT Season Tip-Off Third and Fourth Rounds as part of their season ticket package. These tickets are located on the bottom right corner of each set of season tickets. Pre-game hospitality for Basketball Enhancement Fund contributors who qualified for and received these passes will open at 6:30pm in the Richard B. Taylor Room. Basketball Enhancement Fund contributors who received a season parking pass do have NIT first and second round parking passes within their booklet and are reminded the McPhaul Lot will be available. DICK’S SPORTING GOODS NIT SEASON TIP-OFF TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24 4:15pm Coliseum Doors Open 5:45pm Arizona vs. Mississippi Valley State 8:00pm Georgia vs. Santa Clara TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25 4:15pm Coliseum Doors Open 5:45pm Arizona vs. Santa Clara 8:00pm Georgia vs. Mississippi Valley State Basketball, News 2008-11-19T14:26:00-06:00 http://www.bulldogs.com/georgia/georgia_baseball_lands_four_more_prospects1/ http://www.bulldogs.com/georgia/georgia_baseball_lands_four_more_prospects1/#When:14:23:00Z 11/19/08 - ATHENS, Ga. - Georgia head baseball coach David Perno announced on Wednesday the signing of four additional prospects to national letters of intent to attend UGA and play for the Bulldogs. Courtesy of Georgia Sports Communications November 19, 2008 ATHENS, Ga. --- Georgia head baseball coach David Perno announced on Wednesday the signing of four additional prospects to national letters of intent to attend UGA and play for the Bulldogs. The newest Bulldogs include Blake Dieterich, a left-handed pitcher from Winter Gardens, Fla., Zach Dotson, a left-handed pitcher from Guyton, Ga., Todd Hankins, an infielder from Oviedo, Fla., and Cooper Moseley, a middle infielder/pitcher from Montgomery, Ala. Dieterich, a 6-2, 200 pound left-hander, helped lead West Orange High School to its first district championship in 2008.  He was 10-2 with a 2.60 ERA and recorded 111 strikeouts in 79.1 innings for the Warriors.  Dieterich earned first team All-Metro and Silver Slugger Honorable Mention honors.  The son of Blake and Insuk Dieterich, he was a member of the Cincinnati Midland Redskins summer league team. “Blake is another left-handed pitcher who has had tremendous success at all levels,” Perno said.  “He really knows how to win.  We have high expectations for him as a freshman.” “I’m thrilled to be a part of the Georgia Bulldog family,” Dieterich said.  “It is a dream come true.” Dotson is a 6-3, 200 pound left-hander at Effingham County high School in Guyton, Ga.  He helped lead the Rebels to the Class 4A State Playoffs with a 6-2 record and a 2.39 ERA in 2008.  Dotson was named team MVP, Offensive Player of the Year and All-Sub Region.  The son of Eddie Dotson and Teresa Thomas, he participated in the East Coast Pro Showcase and was an alternate for Team USA.  He is ranked as the nation’s No. 86 High School Prospect by Baseball America. “Zach is the most talented freshman pitcher we have coming in,” Perno said.  “He is a big-body left-hander with a power fastball and the is most projectable pick in the June draft.” “It has always been my dream to play baseball for the University of Georgia,” Dotson said.  “It’s exciting to become part of such a great program.  It have me chills watching them play for the College World Series championship knowing that I could one day have the opportunity to be in their shoes.” Hankins is a 5-11, 165 pound infielder/outfielder at Oviedo High School in Oviedo, Fla.  He hit .453 for the District 2 6A Champion Lions and was named first team All-Central Florida, second team All-County and honorable mention All-State.  He is the son of Dohn and Wendy Hankins. “Todd is a fun player to watch,” Perno said.  “He plays shortstop in high school but can play all over the field.  He is the most bonafide utility player we’ve ever signed.” “I’ve been a Bulldog fan my whole life and I am honored to have the opportunity to play for them,” Hankins said. Moseley is a 5-11, 175 pound middle infielder at Evangel Family Christian Academy in Montgomery, Ala.  He was ranked as the No. 1 player in Alabama by Perfect Game in 2009.  The son of Carey and Eve Moseley, he has been a member of the East Cobb Braves and was named 2007 East Cobb Astros MVP. “Cooper is a very versatile baseball player,” Perno said.  “He can play middle infield and can also be a dominant pitcher on the mound.  He will be considered as our future closer.” “Athens is a beautiful town and it is a great honor to be chosen to play for UGA,” Moseley said. Georgia expects more additions to this class during the early signing period that began Nov. 12. Baseball, News, Recruiting 2008-11-19T14:23:00-06:00 http://www.bulldogs.com/georgia/bulldogs_in_the_nfl_week_11/ http://www.bulldogs.com/georgia/bulldogs_in_the_nfl_week_11/#When:16:05:00Z 11/18/08 - ATHENS, Ga. - A total of 23 former Bulldogs saw action in week 11 of the NFL season. Courtesy of Georgia Sports Communications November 18, 2008 ATHENS, Ga. --- A total of 23 former Bulldogs saw action in week 11 of the NFL season.  Among the top performers were Pittsburgh’s Hines Wards, who hauled in 11 catches for 124 yards in the win over San Diego, Will Witherspoon, who led the Rams with 12 tackles, Richard Seymour who had 10 tackles for New England, and the Patriots’ Ben Watson, who had eight catches for 88 yards and a touchdown. Champ Bailey, CB, Denver Bailey suffered a groin injury during week seven and is out for one month. Tra Battle, S, San Diego Battle had one tackle in the Chargers’ 11-10 loss to Pittsburgh. Reggie Brown, WR, Philadelphia Brown had one catch for zero yards in the Eagles’ 13-13 tie with Cincinnati. Chris Clemons, DE, Philadelphia Clemons had two tackles in the Eagles’ 13-13 tie with Cincinnati. Nic Clemons, DE, Denver Clemons did not play in the Broncos’ 24-20 1in at Atlanta. Brandon Coutu, PK, Seattle Coutu was not active in the Seahawks’ 26-20 loss to Arizona. Thomas Davis, LB, Carolina Davis started at linebacker and had 11 tackles, two QB hurries and forced a fumble in the Panthers’ 31-22 win over Detroit. Demetric Evans, DE, Washington Evans started at defensive end and five tackles and a QB hurry in the Redskins’ 14-10 loss to the New York Giants. Jason Ferguson, DT, Miami Ferguson had three tackles in the Dolphins’ 17-15 win over Minnesota. George Foster, OT, Detroit Foster did not play in the Lions’ 31-22 loss at Carolina. Robert Geathers, DE, Cincinnati Geathers started at defensive end and had three tackles, two QB hurries and forced a fumble in the Bengals’ 13-13 tie with Philadelphia. Tony Gilbert, LB, Atlanta Gilbert was not active in the Falcons’ 24-20 loss to Denver. Kedric Golston, DT, Washington Golston started at defensive tackle and had one tackle in the Redskins’ 14-10 loss to Dallas. Marcus Howard, DE, Indianapolis Howard had one tackle in the Colts’ 33-27 win over Houston. Max Jean-Gilles, G, Philadelphia Jean-Gilles started at right guard in the Eagles’ 13-13 tie with Cincinnati. Jonas Jennings, OT, San Francisco Jennings did not play in the 49ers’ 35-16 win over St. Louis. Tim Jennings, S, Indianapolis Jennings started at left cornerback and had five tackles in the Colts’ 33-27 win over Houston. Charles Johnson, DE, Carolina Johnson played but did not record any stats in the Panthers’ 31-22 win over Detroit. Sean Jones, FS, Cleveland Jones started at safety and had two tackles in the Browns’ 29-27 win over Buffalo. John Kasay, PK, Carolina Kasay kicked a 29-yard field goal in the Panthers’ 31-22 win over Detroit. Brandon Miller, LB, Atlanta Miller did not play in the Falcons’ 24-20 loss to Denver. Quentin Moses, LB, Miami Moses played but did not record any stats in the Dolphins’ 17-15 win over Oakland. Paul Oliver, CB, San Diego Oliver played but did not record any stats in the Chargers’ 11-10 loss to Pittsburgh. Jermaine Phillips, S, Tampa Bay Phillips was not active in the Buccaneers’ 19-13 win over Minnesota. Leonard Pope, TE, Arizona Pope had two catches for nine yards in the Cardinals’ 26-20 win over Seattle. Richard Seymour, DL, New England Seymour started at right end and had 10 tackles and a QB hurry in the Patriots’ 34-31 loss to the New York Jets. D.J. Shockley, QB, Atlanta Shockley was not active in the Falcons’ 24-20 loss to Denver. Jon Stinchcomb, OT, New Orleans Stinchcomb started at right tackle in the Saints’ 30-20 win over Kansas City. Marcus Stroud, DT, Buffalo Stroud started at defensive tackle and had five tackles and three QB hurries in the Bills’ 29-27 loss to Cleveland. Hines Ward, WR, Pittsburgh Ward started at receiver and had 11 catches for 124 yards in the Steelers’11-10 win over San Diego. Danny Ware, RB, New York Giants Ware was not active in the Giants’ 30-10 win over Baltimore. Benjamin Watson, TE, New England Watson started at tight end and led the team with eight catches for 88 yards and a TD in the Patriots’ 34-31 loss to the New York Jets. Will Witherspoon, LB, St. Louis Witherspoon started at middle linebacker and led the team with 12 tackles in the Rams’ 35-16 loss to San Francisco. PRACTICE SQUAD David Greene Quarterback Indianapolis Colts 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 Charles Grant Defensive End New Orleans Saints 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 Football, News 2008-11-18T16:05:00-06:00 http://www.bulldogs.com/georgia/bulldogs_downed_by_loyola_74_53/ http://www.bulldogs.com/georgia/bulldogs_downed_by_loyola_74_53/#When:16:02:00Z 11/18/08 - W. LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Loyola of Chicago opened the second half with a 15-2 run, breaking open a tight game and sending Georgia to a 74-53 defeat in the first round of the Dick’s Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off here Monday night.Courtesy of Georgia Sports Communications November 18, 2008 Georgia-Loyola Boxscore W. LAFAYETTE, Ind. --- Loyola of Chicago opened the second half with a 15-2 run, breaking open a tight game and sending Georgia to a 74-53 defeat in the first round of the Dick’s Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off here Monday night. The Bulldogs (1-1) will play Eastern Michigan in the second round Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. (EST).  EMU dropped an 87-58 decision to host Purdue in the opening game here.  Loyola (1-1) will face the No. 11 Boilermakers on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. for a berth in the tournament semifinals at New York, N.Y. After Loyola had led in the first half by as many as five points, the two teams played to a 29-all tie at halftime.  Andy Polka’s driving 3-point play 21 seconds into the final period ignited the Ramblers on their decisive run.  After a Zac Swansey turnover, Polka connected again, giving his team a 34-29 advantage with 18:39 left. The Loyola lead reached double figures at 42-31 on a pair of foul shots by J.R. Blount with 15:55 left.  The largest margin came with the final score, on two more free throws by Ryan Sterling with three seconds remaining. Even with a halftime tie, Georgia struggled throughout with its ballhandling and shooting.  The Bulldogs shot just 34 percent from the field and committed 18 turnovers to go along with only five assists. “What you saw was a young and inexperienced Georgia team playing an older, veteran team in Loyola,” said Georgia head coach Dennis Felton.  “We never really developed any confidence in what we were doing.  Once we got down, we really struggled offensively.  We’ll need to take lessons from this game and come back strong tomorrow.” The loss overshadowed a superb performance by Georgia freshman Travis Leslie, who led all scorers with 23 points.  The 6-3 guard made 10 of 14 shots, mostly slashing drives along the baseline, as well as one stupendous dunk in the second half. Georgia will now play next week in the consolation bracket of the NIT Season Tip-Off.  Opponents and sites will be finalized on Wednesday of this week. Basketball, News 2008-11-18T16:02:00-06:00 http://www.bulldogs.com/georgia/bulldogs_continue_preparations_for_georgia_tech/ http://www.bulldogs.com/georgia/bulldogs_continue_preparations_for_georgia_tech/#When:14:37:00Z 11/18/08 - Bulldogs Continue Preparations For Georgia Tech Courtesy of Georgia Sports Communications November 18, 2008 ATHENS, Ga. --- With an off-week before their home matchup with Georgia Tech on Nov. 29, the Bulldogs worked out and conditioned for an hour and 15 minutes on Tuesday afternoon. Georgia’s football team also ran and lifted weights on Monday and is scheduled to practice on Wednesday and Thursday.  Although the Bulldogs will not practice on Friday, head coach Mark Richt said the team might do some conditioning before the weekend arrives. The Bulldogs are attempting to win their 10th game for the sixth time in Richt’s eight years at Georgia.  Under Richt’s leadership, the Bulldogs are 7-0 against Georgia Tech. Also of note on Tuesday, junior defensive lineman Geno Atkins announced that he would be returning to Georgia for his senior season. Here are some of Richt’s quotes on Tuesday: On preparing for Georgia Tech: “Having this off-week gives our coaches a little more time to prepare and our guys a little rest after being on the road for four straight weeks.  Going against a team like Georgia Tech, our defense is going to have to stay in the gaps and tackle well.” On how well he thinks the offensive line has played this season: “I think the offensive line has played well, but they have benefited from a talented and veteran running back and quarterback.  Matthew (Stafford) routinely makes good decisions at this point in his career and Knowshon (Moreno) makes people miss him and finds holes in the defense even when the line doesn’t make the best holes for him.” On Georgia Tech’s defensive line versus Georgia’s offensive line: “Georgia Tech’s defensive line is definitely their strength and we are going to have to be ready.  I think right now Josh Davis has a pretty good shot to start (at right tackle) again and (Kiante) Tripp played well when he was in the game.  Our line will have to be ready for another battle.” Football, News 2008-11-18T14:37:00-06:00 http://www.bulldogs.com/georgia/georgia_edges_eastern_michigan_61_60_in_nit_season_tip_off/ http://www.bulldogs.com/georgia/georgia_edges_eastern_michigan_61_60_in_nit_season_tip_off/#When:14:25:00Z 11/18/08 - Georgia Edges Eastern Michigan, 61-60, In NIT Season Tip-Off Courtesy of Georgia Sports Communications November 18, 2008 Box Score WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.- Georgia used a 16-2 run over a six minute stretch in the second half to erase an 11 point deficit and defeat Eastern Michigan 61-60 in the consolation bracket of the Dick’s Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-off Tuesday at Mackey Arena. The Bulldogs (2-1) trailed 53-42 with 8:48 left, but outscored the Eagles (1-2) 19-7 down the stretch. After Dustin Ware’s three-pointer with 57 seconds remaining gave Georgia a 61-59 lead, Eastern Michigan’s Brandon Bowdry hit the second of two free throws to pull the Eagles within one with 38 seconds left. Georgia missed two free throws in the final 25 seconds, but Antonio Green’s desperation shot at the buzzer came up short to give the Bulldogs a split in their two games in West Lafayette. Georgia will continue play in the consolation bracket with a pair of games next week.  Opponents and game sites will be announced Wednesday. “We feel fortunate, but I’m really proud of our players because they really had to tough this one out,” head coach Dennis Felton said.  “We came from 11 down after not having anything to feel good about, and we certainly were losing control of the game.  We stopped settling for jump shots and found ways to get it in the paint.  That’s when we started to turn it around offensively.” Corey Butler led Georgia with 12 points while Terrance Woodbury and Ware each added 11.  Ware came off the bench and hit four treys—all in the second half. Georgia led 32-30 at halftime despite shooting 39 percent on 11-of-28 shooting while the Eagles shot 57 percent on 12-of-21 shooting. Eastern Michigan grabbed an early 8-2 advantage, but Georgia answered and took its first lead 14-12 with 9:34 left until halftime and led by as much as seven in the first half. The Eagles opened the second half on an 11-2 run, and Bowdry’s jumper with 8:56 left gave Eastern Michigan an 11 point advantage, but Georgia scored the next seven points on a pair of jumpers by Jeremy Price and a three by Corey Butler. Justin Dobbins had 22 points to lead Eastern Michigan. The Bulldogs return to action Friday against Presbyterian.  Tip off is set for 7:30 p.m. Eastern at Stegeman Coliseum. Basketball, News 2008-11-18T14:25:00-06:00