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Georgia keeps falling
By Seth Traub, Special to CNNSI.com Eighth-ranked Georgia is in an unfamiliar position. For the first time in a long while, they are the third-best team in the SEC. And after losing to Florida last week for the first time in seven games and just squeaking by at Mississippi State, its apparent there is something missing from the Bulldogs. The Miller twins paced Georgia in Gainesville, with 16 and 17 points, but the Bulldogs' inside players spent most of the game in foul trouble. A return from Deanna Nolan can't come too soon for the Bulldogs who are missing her 12.8 points on almost 50 percent shooting. She's been out with a broken finger since Georgia's first matchup with the Gators. In Starkville, the Bulldogs were down by nine points at halftime and needed a season-high 31 points from Kelly Miller to make a comeback, something they couldn't do in Gainesville. Georgia will have its chance to return to form against South Carolina on Thursday. The Bulldogs are the nation's fifth highest scoring offense at 82.7, a number softened by only 64 points at Florida and 78 points at Mississippi State. Against the Gamecocks, Georgia owns an 18-2 advantage in the all-time series, including a 7-1 mark in Columbia. Georgia has won seven straight in the series dating back to 1993. "South Carolina, along with Ole Miss, is probably the most improved team in the SEC this season," Georgia coach Andy Landers said. Landers and the Bulldogs will get a week of rest before hosting Kentucky.
Marque matchupAgain this week's top game involves No.2 Tennessee and No. 6 Florida.But this time it's between the two teams. For the second week in a row, the Gators host a top-10 matchup and face its third ranked team in four days on Sunday. Tennessee coach Pat Summitt said she has been impressed by the improvement of the Gators. "First and foremost, the guard play of Brandi McCain and Tombi Bell has really improved this team. McCain's performance on the wing and the Gators' inside presence are a tough match-up," Summit said. "Their half-court attack has improved and McCain has been a main reason for that, while Bell makes everyone else better." The Gators travel to Arkansas on Thursday and are focusing on the Razorbacks before thinking about the Vols. Florida coach Carol Ross wants to make sure her team doesn't overemphasize the Vols matchup, looking past other teams. Junior guard Bell said her teammates are in no danger of that because they are focused on their goals. "We are on a mission this year, and Tennessee is just another team in our way," bell said. Ross has only beaten the Vols once in her tenure at Florida. That time was in 1997 in Gainesville on their way to the Sweet 16.
Player of the weekThe Vols' Gwen Jackson received the award this week after setting career highs in four categories last week against then-second-ranked Connecticut. She scored 28 point, had 14 rebounds, 5 blocked shots and shot 80 percent from the floor.Her five blocks was one-half of the Vols' total of 11. In the final eight minutes, the sophomore scored 11 of Tennessee's 21 points. And against Alabama, Jackson scored 11 points while grabbing six rebounds in the Vols' ninth consecutive SEC win of the season.
Seth Traub is a reporter for the Independent Florida Alligator, the student paper that serves the University of Florida.
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