Engram Highlights 87-71 Georgia Victory Against Wright State

Thursday, December 21

Athens, Ga.

1:00 PM

University of Georgia

11-1

Wright State

9-3

Wright State

Georgia

Photo by: Steffenie Burns

Engram Highlights 87-71 Georgia Victory Against Wright State

December 21, 2017 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Stats Quotes Notes

ATHENS, Ga. -- Four double-digit scoring performances, including 20 points from senior Mackenzie Engram, lifted the Georgia Lady Bulldogs basketball team to an 87-71 defeat of the Wright State Raiders on Thursday at Stegeman Coliseum.

Georgia improves to 11-1 on the season, notching its fifth win over an opponent that won at least 20 games last season and went to the postseason. Wright State, who was ranked No. 15 in the latest mid-major poll, dropped just its third game of the season, moving to 9-3.

Engram's 20 points mark her third 20-point outing of her career and 10th double-digit scoring performance of the season. The forward also shot 8-for-11 from the field, tying a personal and team season-best.

Joining Engram were three Lady Bulldogs with double-digit points, including senior Caliya Robinson, who collected 12 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Redshirt sophomore Taja Cole and freshman Que Morrison followed with 12 and 11 points, respectively. Robinson and Morrison also dished out five assists apiece.

Georgia posted a season-high 55 percent from the field and scored the most points of a Wright State opponent this year. The two teams supplied a barrage of 3-pointers, recording nine apiece, but Georgia's 52.9 (9-17) percentage from behind the arc bested Western Carolina's 39.1 (9-23).

"I think we've played pretty unselfish all year long," Georgia head coach Joni Taylor said. "If you look at our stats, we're shooting it better than we have the last couple of years. Because of the players we have and their commitment to getting better, it's tough to play us in a zone defense."

The Lady Bulldogs cruised out to a 20-6 run, keyed by a 13-point outburst by Engram on 6-6 shooting in the first quarter, the most points scored by a Georgia player in a quarter this season. Robinson chipped in six first quarter points as well. Georgia finished the quarter with a 24-15 lead on 16 points in the paint.

Redshirt junior forward Bianca Blanaru paced the Lady Bulldogs in the second quarter, notching a season-high five points early in the period. With just less than two minutes left in the half, Engram sunk a jumper to extend the Georgia lead to 11 and up her first half total to 15 points, tying freshman guard Que Morrison's team season high of 15 first half points against Wofford.

The Lady Bulldogs closed out the half with a well-designed alley-oop play from Cole to Robinson. The layup moved Robinson into double digit points with 10 and pushed Georgia to a 41-31 lead at the break.

The Raiders whittled the Georgia lead to as little as four at 3:20 in the third quarter, but the Lady Bulldogs answered with a 3-pointer by senior guard Simone Costa. Freshman guard Gabby Connally closed out the period with a 6-0 run of her own: a free throw, a 3-pointer, and a steal-turned-layup to make the score 64-54 headed into the fourth quarter.

Within the first minute of the fourth frame, Engram drained a 3-pointer and Morrison hit a jumper to extend the Georgia edge 69-54. Freshman Maya Caldwell provided a pair of threes, before a 10-4 Georgia run fueled the final minutes. A Paul tip-in sealed the Georgia victory at 87-71.

Next up, Georgia hosts North Florida on Thursday, Dec. 28 at Stegeman Coliseum. The game will be streamed on SEC Network Plus with tipoff set for 2 p.m. ET.