Georgia defense can't rest

Scoring on Georgia's defense was consistently difficult during its early 16-game winning streak.

But lately, the points have come in bunches for Lady Bulldogs' opponents and the losses have done the same. Georgia takes a three-game losing streak against No. 19 LSU on Thursday and UGA is seeking a quick turnaround.

"That's something that we'll make a priority this week. We've got to tighten up," Georgia coach Andy Landers said. "I think the focus and intent on who we're game-planning against has slipped a little bit. I think I've allowed that. I've got to make sure we're crystal clear on who it is and what it is we're trying to affect on the floor."

The numbers clearly show something has changed.

Through Georgia's first 14 games, the Lady Dogs (18-4, 5-4 SEC) didn't allow 60 points to any opponent. Since then, seven of eight opponents have scored at least 60.

Teams are scoring more because they're shooting better. In the first 16 games, Georgia allowed only one opponent to shoot better than 40 percent in a blowout victory against Savannah State. In six games since, five opponents have shot better than 41 percent. The Lady Dogs have lost four of those games.

That may be the biggest factor if Georgia is to avoid the second four-game losing streak of Landers' 31-year UGA career.

"It feels like deja vu from last year," said senior post player Angel Robinson, recalling the 14-loss season of 2008-09. "It's something I don't want to go through again. How can we snap out of it? We don't want [frustration]. It's just mentally, we need to get tougher right now."

Landers said he can see what's not happening on the defensive end and it's something that can change.

"I don't see us trying to focus or having a lack of focus once the game gets started, but I see an absence of preparedness and I accept responsibility for that," Landers said. "I see an absence of fundamental play as it relates to two or five people playing together."

Georgia is two victories away from its seventh 20-win season in the past eight years and the Lady Dogs can still win 25 regular-season games for the first time in 10 years if they take the final seven.