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Anything can happen
Posted: Wednesday February 09, 2000 03:30 PM
Andy Landers, a three-time National Coach of the Year, is in his 21st season at Georgia. Landers has averaged 24.3 wins a year, third-best among all active Division I coaches with as much tenure. The Lady Bulldogs are one of only four teams to reach the NCAA Final Four five times. Georgia is 23-2 and ranked No. 3 in the nation. Check out Landers' diary every other week on CNNSI.com.
February 9, 2000
The regular season, which began for us with a possibility of 30 games, counting the Preseason WNIT, has now evolved to a five game proposition. Across the country, teams are coming down the stretch, and many still have aspirations for one of the 64 postseason slots. In this regard, the remaining games on this year's schedule seem to weigh a little heavier than those that were played in November and December. For most of us, big wins and painful losses have been endured, but they pale beside the challenges that await us in the future. For Georgia, the season has been a most productive one. Two weeks ago we made a tough road trip to Oxford, Mississippi (got caught in a blizzard), and then went up to Nashville to take on a very good Vanderbilt team. We played reasonably well and came off the road with a 2-0 record and sitting on top of the Southeastern Conference standings at 6-1. Moreover, at last we could return to the friendly confines of Stegeman Coliseum with a record of 21-2. Though we have 23 games under our belt, probably more than anyone else in the nation, we had only played five at home. Needless to say, we welcomed the return to a home-floor advantage. As luck -- bad luck, that is -- would have it, we then experienced our first significant injury of the season. Tawana McDonald injured her right shoulder in practice on Tuesday, February 1. It was apparent later that evening and confirmed the next morning that she would miss Thursday's game with arch rival Florida. We had been blessed to this point to have played essentially injury-free; now we would see how our team would respond to the challenge of playing without our third leading scorer, leading rebounder, and inspirational leader as well.
From a Georgia perspective, the game wasn't pretty; however, we had key people come off the bench and play well and our team had the courage and maturity to fight from a 10 point deficit in the second half to lead by four in the closing minute. Four wasn't enough, however, as Florida tied the game and took us into overtime. A loud and enthusiastic crowd helped us endure 45 minutes of excellent play by the Florida Lady Gators. We won; however, the victory was not without additional cost. Our other starting post player, Angie Ball, sprained her knee, and now we were approaching a game against top 20 foe Mississippi State not knowing whether either or both of our starting post players would be available. They were ready, but for limited play. Our defense was spectacular and perimeter offense very productive, and we beat Mississippi State on Sunday. Now, with only five games remaining on the schedule, a 23-2 overall record and an 8-1 Southeastern Conference record, we will find out how well our basketball team can focus. I learned a long time ago that in this league you don't project yourself as a conference contender at this early a date. With five games remaining, anything can happen. I don't know exactly when I'll start to talk to the team about winning the conference championship, but I do know the time isn't now. We need to continue to play and win these games as they come to us on our schedule. Hopefully at some point a little later on I will be able to address the team with the idea that our next game could be for the conference championship. As the regular season is coming to a close it is only natural to look across the country and see how everyone else is doing. Because of the success of our basketball team, I am interested in knowing who the number one seeds are. To me, at least at this point, it is clear Georgia, Connecticut, Louisiana Tech and Tennessee are all number one seeds. The injuries that have taken place across the country and the losses some of the other teams have endured have put some space between those four teams and what I would currently project as number two seeds. With five games remaining, however, everything is certainly subject to change.
-- Coach Landers
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