Game Information
Georgia Lady Bulldogs (7-1) vs. North Carolina A&T Aggies (3-5)
Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 // 5:30 p.m. ET // Corbett Sports Center
Watch: Online via NCATAggies.com(Click Here)
Radio: 103.7 WKXT-FM and 960 AM; also available on GeorgiaDogs.com and the Georgia Bulldog App
(Jeff Dantzler — The Voice of the Lady Bulldogs)
Full Game Notes Packet (Click Here)
Opening Tip
» Following an 11-day break for final exams, Georgia plays four games in an eight-day span over the next week. The current stretch begins with a road trip to North Carolina A&T this Thursday at 5:30 p.m. ET. The game is not televised but will be live streamed via NCATAggies.com.
» The Lady Bulldogs stormed out to the best start in the Joni Taylor era with a 7-0 record, before falling to then No. 2 ranked Texas on Dec. 3. Georgia played three of its first five games on the road (most to begin a season since 2003-04), but will finish non-conference action with four consecutive home contests.
» Senior forward Mackenzie Engram has stepped up to lead the Lady Bulldogs. She paces the team in scoring with 12.8 ppg and is tied for the team lead in rebounding with 6.8 rpg. Engram has scored in double figures in seven of eight games so far this season.
» Georgia’s backcourt, which features four newcomers Taja Cole, Que Morrison, Gabby Connally and Maya Caldwell, currently leads the SEC in assists per game with 18.3 per contest. The trio of Morrison, Cole and Connally rank third, fourth and fifth respectively among Georgia’s top scorers this season, and the Lady Bulldogs are one of only two teams (joining Tennessee) to have a pair of rookies rank in the top-10 of the SEC’s freshman scoring leaders.
» Junior forward Caliya Robinson has received early season recognition. The preseason All-SEC selection was named to the Citizen Naismith Trophy National Player of the Year watch list as well as the Katrina McClain Award watch list for the top power forward in the country. Robinson ranks among the SEC’s top-10 returners in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots.
Series Information - Georgia vs. North Carolina A&T
Overall: Georgia leads, 1-0
In Athens: Georgia leads, 1-0
In Greensboro: Never Met
Neutral Sites: Never Met
Current Streak: Georgia has won only meeting
Last Meeting: Georgia 89, NC A&T 35 (11/15/06)
Largest Margin of Victory: UGA 89, NC A&T 35 (11/15/06)
Georgia Notebook
Georgia Unselfish With the Ball, Among League Leaders in Assists, Blocks and Steals
» Head coach Joni Taylor’s squad is the only team in the SEC to rank in the top-3 in assists, blocks and steals this season. Georgia’s guards, aided by the emergence of newcomers Taja Cole, Gabby Connally, Que Morrison and Maya Caldwell, average 18.3 assists per game, which is the best average in the league. Cole has been the catalyst for the Lady Bulldogs. She ranks third in the conference in assists and sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio with 43 assists and 19 turnovers this season.
Veteran Frontcourt Leads Lady Bulldogs
» Georgia’s seasoned frontcourt of Mackenzie Engram and Caliya Robinson rank first and second respectively in scoring and are tied for the team lead in rebounding with 6.8 boards per game. Engram has scored in double figures in all but one game this season (5 points vs. Tennessee Tech) and is coming off an impressive performance against one of the best teams in the nation with 17 points against No. 2 Texas. Robinson has hit the double-figure scoring mark in all but two games this year.
It Starts With Defense Under Taylor
» Georgia prides itself on defense and that has paid off this season. The Lady Bulldogs have held two opponents (BYU and Furman) to their season lows in scoring and field goal percentage and limited Texas to their second-lowest scoring output this year. BYU shot a season-low 35.1 percent from the field, while Furman hit just 27.3 percent of its shots. In all, the Lady Bulldogs are 17-0 under Coach Taylor when holding an opponent to 50 points or less.
Robinson Named to Naismith, Katrina McClain Award Watch Lists
» Lady Bulldog junior forward Caliya Robinson has received national attention for her efforts on the court. Among the SEC’s returning leaders in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots, Robinson was named to the Citizen Naismith Trophy National Player of the Year Watch List, joining 50 of the top players from around the country. Before the season started, she was tabbed a Katrina McClain Award Watch List candidate, placing Robinson’s name among the top 20 power forwards from across the country.
A Top-10 Shot Blocker
» Robinson has moved into the top-10 of the Lady Bulldogs’ career blocked shots leaders. In just 65 games, Robinson has 140 blocks (2.2 per game) and needs one more to move into a tie with Porsha Phillips, who had 141 in her career. Perhaps even more impressive is that Robinson has done this in just 65 career games. It took Tasha Humphrey (who is currently in10th place with 119) 126 games, while Anne-Marie Armstrong (in ninth place) recorded 122 blocks in 133 contests.
Morrison’s Debut Among Best For Georgia Freshmen
» Que Morrison’s 19-point effort in the season-opener against Wofford puts her name among a prestigious group of Lady Bulldog freshmen. Morrison’s total is the most for a Georgia rookie in a season-opening game since Tasha Humphrey scored 25 versus Furman at the beginning of the 2004-05 season.
Freshmen Step Up At crucial time
» In the final 10 seconds of the game at Virginia it was two freshmen guards that stepped to the line and sealed the game for the Lady Bulldogs. Gabby Connally was fouled with just nine seconds remaining and sunk two-straight to put her team up 62-58. After the Cavaliers hit a long 3-pointer on the next possession, Que Morrison knocked in two-straight free-throws to give her team a 64-61 lead with five seconds remaining.
Georgia’s Clark Already A College Graduate
» A three-time selection to the SEC Academic Honor Roll, Haley Clark graduated in just three years and received her diploma from UGA during graduation ceremonies this past May. Clark received her bachelor’s degree in business and finance and is pursuing a master’s in financial planning. One of her career goals is to work in corporate finance and help other athletes with financial planning.
Clark, Engram Earn Leadership Awards
» Haley Clark and Mackenzie Engram enter their senior seasons as the leaders for the Lady Bulldogs. That leadership ability did not go unnoticed by the UGA Athletic Association this past spring, as both Clark and Engram received awards recognizing their efforts in leadership and sportsmanship. The announcement was made at the annual student-athlete awards banquet in April.
Clark received the UGA Athletics Sportsmanship-Ethics Award, which is given annually to one female and male student-athlete who are selected based upon their displays of trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, friendship, caring and citizenship. Engram was chosen for the Clifford Lewis Leadership Award — an honor presented to one female student-athlete who demonstrates a commitment to a group of individuals above personal gain.
Georgia Lady Bulldogs (7-1) vs. North Carolina A&T Aggies (3-5)
Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 // 5:30 p.m. ET // Corbett Sports Center
Watch: Online via NCATAggies.com(Click Here)
Radio: 103.7 WKXT-FM and 960 AM; also available on GeorgiaDogs.com and the Georgia Bulldog App
(Jeff Dantzler — The Voice of the Lady Bulldogs)
Full Game Notes Packet (Click Here)
Opening Tip
» Following an 11-day break for final exams, Georgia plays four games in an eight-day span over the next week. The current stretch begins with a road trip to North Carolina A&T this Thursday at 5:30 p.m. ET. The game is not televised but will be live streamed via NCATAggies.com.
» The Lady Bulldogs stormed out to the best start in the Joni Taylor era with a 7-0 record, before falling to then No. 2 ranked Texas on Dec. 3. Georgia played three of its first five games on the road (most to begin a season since 2003-04), but will finish non-conference action with four consecutive home contests.
» Senior forward Mackenzie Engram has stepped up to lead the Lady Bulldogs. She paces the team in scoring with 12.8 ppg and is tied for the team lead in rebounding with 6.8 rpg. Engram has scored in double figures in seven of eight games so far this season.
» Georgia’s backcourt, which features four newcomers Taja Cole, Que Morrison, Gabby Connally and Maya Caldwell, currently leads the SEC in assists per game with 18.3 per contest. The trio of Morrison, Cole and Connally rank third, fourth and fifth respectively among Georgia’s top scorers this season, and the Lady Bulldogs are one of only two teams (joining Tennessee) to have a pair of rookies rank in the top-10 of the SEC’s freshman scoring leaders.
» Junior forward Caliya Robinson has received early season recognition. The preseason All-SEC selection was named to the Citizen Naismith Trophy National Player of the Year watch list as well as the Katrina McClain Award watch list for the top power forward in the country. Robinson ranks among the SEC’s top-10 returners in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots.
Series Information - Georgia vs. North Carolina A&T
Overall: Georgia leads, 1-0
In Athens: Georgia leads, 1-0
In Greensboro: Never Met
Neutral Sites: Never Met
Current Streak: Georgia has won only meeting
Last Meeting: Georgia 89, NC A&T 35 (11/15/06)
Largest Margin of Victory: UGA 89, NC A&T 35 (11/15/06)
Georgia Notebook
Georgia Unselfish With the Ball, Among League Leaders in Assists, Blocks and Steals
» Head coach Joni Taylor’s squad is the only team in the SEC to rank in the top-3 in assists, blocks and steals this season. Georgia’s guards, aided by the emergence of newcomers Taja Cole, Gabby Connally, Que Morrison and Maya Caldwell, average 18.3 assists per game, which is the best average in the league. Cole has been the catalyst for the Lady Bulldogs. She ranks third in the conference in assists and sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio with 43 assists and 19 turnovers this season.
Veteran Frontcourt Leads Lady Bulldogs
» Georgia’s seasoned frontcourt of Mackenzie Engram and Caliya Robinson rank first and second respectively in scoring and are tied for the team lead in rebounding with 6.8 boards per game. Engram has scored in double figures in all but one game this season (5 points vs. Tennessee Tech) and is coming off an impressive performance against one of the best teams in the nation with 17 points against No. 2 Texas. Robinson has hit the double-figure scoring mark in all but two games this year.
It Starts With Defense Under Taylor
» Georgia prides itself on defense and that has paid off this season. The Lady Bulldogs have held two opponents (BYU and Furman) to their season lows in scoring and field goal percentage and limited Texas to their second-lowest scoring output this year. BYU shot a season-low 35.1 percent from the field, while Furman hit just 27.3 percent of its shots. In all, the Lady Bulldogs are 17-0 under Coach Taylor when holding an opponent to 50 points or less.
Robinson Named to Naismith, Katrina McClain Award Watch Lists
» Lady Bulldog junior forward Caliya Robinson has received national attention for her efforts on the court. Among the SEC’s returning leaders in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots, Robinson was named to the Citizen Naismith Trophy National Player of the Year Watch List, joining 50 of the top players from around the country. Before the season started, she was tabbed a Katrina McClain Award Watch List candidate, placing Robinson’s name among the top 20 power forwards from across the country.
A Top-10 Shot Blocker
» Robinson has moved into the top-10 of the Lady Bulldogs’ career blocked shots leaders. In just 65 games, Robinson has 140 blocks (2.2 per game) and needs one more to move into a tie with Porsha Phillips, who had 141 in her career. Perhaps even more impressive is that Robinson has done this in just 65 career games. It took Tasha Humphrey (who is currently in10th place with 119) 126 games, while Anne-Marie Armstrong (in ninth place) recorded 122 blocks in 133 contests.
Morrison’s Debut Among Best For Georgia Freshmen
» Que Morrison’s 19-point effort in the season-opener against Wofford puts her name among a prestigious group of Lady Bulldog freshmen. Morrison’s total is the most for a Georgia rookie in a season-opening game since Tasha Humphrey scored 25 versus Furman at the beginning of the 2004-05 season.
Freshmen Step Up At crucial time
» In the final 10 seconds of the game at Virginia it was two freshmen guards that stepped to the line and sealed the game for the Lady Bulldogs. Gabby Connally was fouled with just nine seconds remaining and sunk two-straight to put her team up 62-58. After the Cavaliers hit a long 3-pointer on the next possession, Que Morrison knocked in two-straight free-throws to give her team a 64-61 lead with five seconds remaining.
Georgia’s Clark Already A College Graduate
» A three-time selection to the SEC Academic Honor Roll, Haley Clark graduated in just three years and received her diploma from UGA during graduation ceremonies this past May. Clark received her bachelor’s degree in business and finance and is pursuing a master’s in financial planning. One of her career goals is to work in corporate finance and help other athletes with financial planning.
Clark, Engram Earn Leadership Awards
» Haley Clark and Mackenzie Engram enter their senior seasons as the leaders for the Lady Bulldogs. That leadership ability did not go unnoticed by the UGA Athletic Association this past spring, as both Clark and Engram received awards recognizing their efforts in leadership and sportsmanship. The announcement was made at the annual student-athlete awards banquet in April.
Clark received the UGA Athletics Sportsmanship-Ethics Award, which is given annually to one female and male student-athlete who are selected based upon their displays of trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, friendship, caring and citizenship. Engram was chosen for the Clifford Lewis Leadership Award — an honor presented to one female student-athlete who demonstrates a commitment to a group of individuals above personal gain.
