Lady Dogs host Missouri tonight in Stegeman

There is Lady Dogs basketball tonight at Stegeman Coliseum, a 7 o’clock tip vs the Missouri Tigers.

From Tray Littlefield, UGA Sports Communications…

Storylines

» Georgia returns to Stegeman Coliseum to host the Missouri Tigers on Thursday. The game will tip off at 7 p.m. and will air on the SEC Network+.

» Georgia has won the last three meetings against Missouri, once in Athens and twice in Columbia.

» The Tigers rank third in the SEC in 3-pointers made, averaging 7.6 per game.  Missouri also ranks third in the conference  from the charity stripe, boasting a 73 percent free throw percentage.

» Brittney Smith has led Georgia through conference play with seven double-figure scoring games in her last eight contests. Smith averages a team-high 14.7 points per game against league foes, which ranks 12th in the SEC. Her 52.0 percent shooting performance against conference opponents ranks sixth in the league.

» Battles leads Georgia in scoring (13.7 ppg), assists (64) and steals (35). She was one of just 50 players named to the preseason Naismith National Player of the Year Watch List.

» Georgia ranks first in the SEC in turnover margin, with a +4.81 average, and second in steals, swiping 10.8 per game.

» Georgia has forced 20 or more opponent turnovers in 14 of 21 games and has forced double-digit miscues in every contest.

» Georgia picked up its 10th win on Dec. 17. It marked the program’s quickest 10th win in a season since the

2014-15 campaign.

» Georgia has held four teams (Jacksonville State, NC State, Mercer and San Diego State) to their season lows in scoring. Under Coach ABE’s leadership, her teams at UCF led the nation in scoring defense in each of the last two years.

Georgia Season Notebook

Miyah Verse Named McDonald’s All-America Nominee

Georgia signee Miyah Verse was recently named a nominee for the McDonald’s All-America Team. A native of Peoria, Arizona, Verse is a four-star recruit who landed in ESPN’s Super 60 Poll as one of the top players in the nation. She plays high school basketball at Arizona Elite Prep, which has become a national powerhouse.

Building on the Excitement

Against South Carolina earlier this year, the community showed up in a big way. The attendance was listed at 6,225, marking the largest crowd for a SEC home game at UGA since 2013-14 -- a span of nine seasons.

We’ll Take That

Georgia’s defensive pressure has forced double-digit turnovers in every game this season, while the team has recorded 10 or more steals 11 of 21 matchups so far. Georgia has held opponents to single-digit quarters on 10 occasions.

Smith Starts Well in SEC Play

Fifth-year senior Brittney Smith is off to a strong start in SEC play. In her first six league games, she has hit 38-of-66 (58 percent) from the field and has scored in double figures in every conference contest. Smith paces UGA against SEC foes with 16.3 ppg.

Historic Comeback

Earlier this year, the Lady Bulldogs posted one of the largest comebacks in program history. Down 20 to Wisconsin, Georgia used a 26-0 run and outscored the Badgers 33-5 late in the second half for the 68-60 win. Georgia played particularly well in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Badgers 25-5 in the final frame.

Zoesha’s Career Day

Junior forward Zoesha Smith has made the most of her first career starts this season. Against Georgia Tech , Smith scored a career-high 21 points, brought down a career-best 10 rebounds and totaled the most steals of her career with four. The Brunswick, Ga., native also posted a double-double for the first time in her career.

50th Season of Georgia Basketball

This marks the 50th season of Georgia Lady Bulldog basketball. This historic program ranks 15th all time in win percentage (.694) and 16th in total wins (1,052). Georgia ranks second nationally in NCAA tournament appearances with 35 and is still one of only three programs to boast a winning record every season since 1981.

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