Shorthanded Lady Bulldogs run out of gas vs. Kentucky
ATHENS — Georgia would have had its hands full with No. 6 Kentucky had it been at full strength. But playing without junior point guard Jasmine James and three other players made it an extraordinary challenge.
The Wildcats (17-2, 6-0 SEC) have knocked off mighty Tennessee this season and entered the game forcing opponents into an astounding 30.4 turnovers per game with a high-pressure style under fifth-year coach Matthew Mitchell.
As it was, No. 15 Georgia (15-4, 4-2) put forth a valiant effort, shaving an eight-point Kentucky lead to 66-64 inside the final minute. But the Wildcats got a layup from Bria Goss with 26 seconds remaining, and the shorthanded Lady Bulldogs ran out of gas, losing 69-64 at Stegeman Coliseum.
“It hurts to lose at the end like that,” said junior forward Anne Marie Armstrong, who played 39 minutes, including 19:48 of the second half with four fouls. “We can take a lot of positives out of this because we didn’t have [James] out there and were only playing like six players. We had them. We get everyone healthy on this team, and we can beat anyone in the SEC. We’ve just got to keep our heads up.”
Georgia played seven players to Kentucky’s 12. Forward Krista Donald was out for the game with a knee injury. Forwards Ebony Jones and Marisela Rodriguez are out for the season with knee issues.
Nevertheless, Georgia actually took it to their visitors for much of the night. They forged a seven-point lead late in the first half and went ahead by 10, 46-36, on Armstrong’s fast-break layup at the 15:40 mark.
But the tide turned soon after. Chipping away with point-blank buckets inside, then getting a flurry of perimeter scoring from Goss, Kentucky pieced together a 26-8 run for a 62-54 lead with seven minutes to play. Georgia fought back to get within 66-64 on Armstrong’s 3-pointer with 55 seconds remaining. But Goss answered with the layup, and Armstrong fouled out on an offensive foul on Georgia’s last possession, with 12.6 seconds to go.
Armstrong had drawn her fourth foul with 1:10 remaining in the first half.
“You’re playing all these next 20 minutes. That’s what Coach told me at halftime,” Armstrong said. “I almost made it, too. I couldn’t go for those 50-50 balls, I couldn’t for as many deflections. I had to be conservative for sure.”
Coach Andy Landers said he could have played Donald, Armstrong’s backup, but chose not to with the balance of the season in mind.
“We’ve got to get our kids well,” Landers said. “Our lack of depth is definitely a factor. But it is what it is; we can’t complain about that. Let’s not spin it like a moral victory. We expected to win the game.”
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