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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
MADISON, Wis. -- Foul trouble and a bad hamstring limited
Tawana McDonald's productivity in sixth-ranked Georgia's first two
games. She made up for that in a big way Wednesday night.
|  | | Georgia's Kelly Miller, left, is able to hold off Oklahoma's LaNeishea Caufield in chasing after a loose ball.
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McDonald, a junior center, scored 16 points and grabbed 17
rebounds as Georgia beat No. 12 Oklahoma 94-70 in the opening game of the Coaches vs. Cancer Challenge.
She averaged 10 minutes in Georgia's first two games of the
season -- a defeat to Connecticut and a victory over Massachusetts.
"We've got a good team overall, but we just have a great team
when Tawana is in the game," said Coco Miller, who scored 20
points and helped open up the inside for McDonald with some outside
shooting.
"We need her."
Georgia advances to the title game Friday.
Stacey Dales had 19 points for Oklahoma (2-1).
Deanna Nolan and reserve Christi Thomas chipped in 11 points
apiece for Georgia, but the difference was McDonald.
"Unbelievable," Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale said of McDonald's
play. "Seventeen rebounds. We didn't really have an answer for
her."
The teams combined for 54 fouls in a game that was tightly
called. That hurt Georgia in the first half, when Nolan and Kelly
Miller, both starters, had three fouls apiece.
But nine different Georgia players scored as Georgia took a
45-34 lead into the half.
"We have a great bench," Coco Miller said. "That really helps
us. When we get in foul trouble, we have good players to come in
for us."
Georgia jumped out to a 23-9 lead, but Oklahoma narrowed it to
32-30 before Coco Miller hit a 3-pointer to spark a 13-4 run that
gave Georgia a 45-34 halftime lead.
Oklahoma stayed within 10 points early in the second half, but
Georgia started to pull away as the fouls on the Sooners began to
build up.
Georgia was 33-for-44 (75 percent) from the free throw line,
while Oklahoma made 26 of 32.
"We panicked and a team like Georgia smells that," Coale said.
LaNeishea Caufield added 16 points and nine rebounds for
Oklahoma.
"Just all night long, we didn't do the things we normally do,"
Coale said. "But we'll be a better team because of this."
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ALSO SEE
Womens College Basketball Scoreboard
Georgia Clubhouse
Oklahoma Clubhouse
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