The Georgia File: Getting to know Iowa basketball’s next NCAA Tournament foe
Before Iowa laid 15th-seeded Southeastern Louisiana to waste, No. 7 seed Florida State and No. 10 seed Georgia squared off for the date against the Hawkeyes.
By now, Iowa fans know that Georgia dispatched of Florida State in a mild 7-versus-10 upset, 66-54.
Who were the standouts for Georgia in their NCAA Tournament-opening win? And, what else do you need to know about the Bulldogs before tomorrow afternoon’s national TV date?
Opening snapshot
Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK
Record: 22-11 (9-7 SEC)
Home: 13-3
Road: 4-5
Neutral: 5-3
NET ranking: No. 33
Last 10 games: 7-3
Georgia has won seven of its past 10. The three losses? Twice against LSU (and once in overtime) and another against undefeated defending national champion South Carolina.
The Bulldogs are led by second-team All-SEC selection Diamond Battles. Battles was also an all-defensive team selection.
Against NCAA Tournament teams
Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
Record: 2-9
Wins: Mississippi State, Florida State
Losses: North Carolina State, West Virginia, Alabama, South Carolina, Ole Miss, Tennessee, LSU, South Carolina, LSU
Top contributors
Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
G Diamond Battles: 14.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.7 steals
F Brittney Smith: 11.5 points, 5.2 rebounds
F Javyn Nicholson: 9.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.2 steals
G Audrey Warren: 8.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.4 steals
F Zoesha Smith: 6.7 points, 3.9 rebounds
Georgia's NCAA Tournament history
Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
All-time record: 59-34
Georgia has a rich women’s basketball tradition. The Bulldogs have advanced to five Final Fours (1983, 1985, 1995, 1996 and 1999). Georgia has appeared in 36 of 41 NCAA Tournaments, which ties Stanford for the second-most appearances.
Series history
(Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
Series history: Georgia leads, 3-2. The last meeting between the two programs came during the 2007-08 season when Georgia topped Iowa, 67-61.
2007-08: Georgia 67, Iowa 61 (neutral)
1995-96: Georgia 79, Iowa 52 (neutral)
1990-91: Georgia 62, Iowa 51 (neutral)
1987-88: Iowa 65, Georgia 56 (at Iowa)
1986-87: Iowa 62, Georgia 60 (neutral)
Recapping Georgia's win over FSU
(Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
In the win over Florida State, Georgia guard Diamond Battles led the way with 21 points on 7-of-16 shooting, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range. She also added four rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals.
The Bulldogs’ two other double-figure scorers were guard Audrey Warren with 11 points and forward Jordan Isaacs with 10. Georgia forwards Zoesha Smith and Javyn Nicholson combined for 18 off the bench as well.
Defense also paves the way against the 'Noles
(Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
Georgia was fabulous defensively against Florida State, limiting the Seminoles to 26.9% shooting from the floor and just 8-of-29 from 3-point range.
Florida State was without its star freshman Ta’Niya Latson against Georgia. The 5-foot-8 guard was recently named ACC Rookie of the Year. She came in averaging 21.3 points, 2.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, but an undisclosed injury kept her out of the NCAA Tournament.
What a Sweet 16 berth would mean
Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
“It would mean everything. Obviously, we are taking it one game at a time and focused on this, but looking ahead, getting to the Sweet 16 would be great for us, the program and exposure for the South. The NCAA is fun to play in and it’s fun to keep winning,” Audrey Warren said.
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