Georgia basketball: Lady Dogs needs to show grit to beat Aggies

Georgia basketball has a tale of two programs right now between the men’s and women’s programs. The Lady Dogs have played strong basketball throughout this season, and now they are playing for a decent spot in the upcoming SEC Tournament.

Before they can play in that, Georgia must close their home schedule out with a game against Texas A&M this afternoon.

The Lady Dogs are coming off a one-point victory over Arkansas, but that win was crucial because it gave them some more confidence. After going 3-4 in February, getting that win over the Hogs was important.

Only one of those four losses was by double-digit points, and that was against South Carolina. Georgia should have won the other three losses, but the ladies struggled to score in those matchups.

Georgia basketball must close the regular season on a high note against Texas A&M.

LSU beat the Lady Dogs by six points, the Gators won by three, and Auburn won by five. Georgia should have never lost to Auburn, but they needed to feel that defeat to put a chip on their shoulder.

With a win on Sunday, Georgia would be 8-8 in SEC play and likely the No. 6 seed in the tournament. Before they can worry about Nashville, it’s time to put the last few weeks behind them and focus on one final game.

It’ll also be senior day, and while the emotions will be flowing, it’s essential to focus on beating the Aggies.

Plus, it’s important to get a win on senior day, especially this year because Georgia hasn’t played their best at home. They have been a powerhouse on the road, but at the Steg, five of their eight losses occurred there.

The last two times these programs faced off was in the SEC Tournament semifinal last year when the Dawgs upset the Aggies 74-68. Maya Caldwell’s 19 point game and Mikayla Coombs’ 14 second-half points were big reasons that upset happened.

Georgia will need similar production from their ladies this year, but it needs to be Que Morrison and Jenna Staiti. These two need to remind everyone why they returned for one more season and do it Sunday against the Aggies.

Both teams average 69 points a game, and Georgia holds their opponents to fewer points on average. The Lady Dogs are shooting 43.7% from the floor, 31.1% from beyond the arc and 73.9% at the foul line.

On paper, Georgia should be able to beat the Aggies, but the Lady Dogs have struggled with scoring the last few weeks, so that will be a big key in Sunday’s matchup.

The Lady Dogs must win the rebounding battle on Sunday because Georgia holds a 14-3 record when they do. South Carolina, Kentucky, and Auburn were the only times they outrebounded their opponent and lost.

Georgia needs to play their game and silence every other noise surrounding them. When the Lady Dogs play to their strengths, it’s usually a good day. Use that excellent defense to force turnovers and finish your shots, and Sunday’s game should result in a victory.

Tip-off for the game will be Sunday at 2 p.m. ET, and the game will air on the SEC Network+, the networks’ alternative channel. The SEC Tournament starts on March 2 in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena.