ATHENS, Ga. — Coming off a disappointing performance against nationally ranked Colorado last Saturday in Lubbock, the LSU Lady Tigers try to open Southeastern Conference play Thursday night on a positive note.
But the games get no easier for the 23rd-ranked Lady Tigers as they must travel to Athens to face seventh-ranked Georgia at Stegeman Coliseum. LSU is 7-4 on the season, while the Lady Bulldogs are a perfect 10-0, coming off a Dec. 30, 83-70 win over Virginia Commonwealth.
Tipoff for the conference opener at 6 p.m. CST and will be broadcast on the LSU Sports Network (WJHN, 107.3 FM in Baton Rouge) and on the Internet at www.LSUsports.net.
The Tigers are coming off an 86-65 loss to Colorado and LSU is expected to start Temeka Johnson (8.4 points, 5.4 assists) and Doneeka Hodges (14.2 points, 4.1 rebounds) at guards, Aiysha Smith (14.5 points, 6.4 rebounds) at center and Roneeka Hodges (11.0 points, 6.9 rebounds) and Ke-Ke Tardy (9.3 points, 6.6 rebounds) at forwards.
Georgia is led by 6-5 sophomore center Christi Thomas, who averages 11.8 points per game and nine rebounds a contest. Forward Tawana McDonald averages 8.7 points and 7.4 rebounds an outing.
The Lady Tigers, although they trail the overall series with Georgia, 16-7, pulled off a big conference opening win two years ago when the teams met at Stegeman. That year, the 23rd-ranked Lady Tigers opened SEC play with an 80-74 upset over second-ranked Georgia. That is the only series win for the Lady Tigers over the Bulldogs in the last 10 years of battles between Sue Gunter and Georgia Coach Andy Landers.
LSU has not drawn the most attractive opening schedule in the Southeastern Conference having to play three of the first four games on the road (at Georgia Thursday, at Tennessee Jan. 13 and at Ole Miss Jan. 17) and the home opener is no piece of cake on Jan. 10 when Florida comes to town. All that is compounded by the injury to Kisha James, the Tigers starting point guard and center DeTrina White, who may or may not be redshirted this season by the LSU coaching staff.
White, is not expected to dress for this game after suffering a minor concussion earlier in the week after bumping heads with a teammate during a drill.