Georgia's guards ready to step up

DALLAS - Everyone knows how important Tasha Humphrey is to Georgia - her numerous postseason awards attest to what she has meant to the team - but it's the Lady Bulldogs' guards who might be the key to surviving in the NCAA Tournament.

Entering this season, the foursome of Alexis Kendrick, Sherill Baker, Cori Chambers and Janese Hardrick was regarded as one of the most athletic and tenacious guard groups in the country. They were a big reason why the 20th-ranked Lady Bulldogs (22-9) were in the top five in every preseason poll.

The four players, along with Katie Frye and Megan Darrah, have shown flashes of greatness this season, but inconsistency has been a problem. In the postseason, however, there's no time for off games when it's win or go home.

The Chattanooga region's No. 6 seed, Georgia faces 11th-seeded Rice (24-8) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday at Reunion Arena.

"There's a different energy level in the tournament," said sophomore Cori Chambers, who had 19 points in her first NCAA Tournament game last year against Liberty, "and I'm excited about experiencing that again."

Analysts and coaches often talk about how important guards are at this time of year.

And for good reason, Kendrick said.

"The guards really control the floor in terms of handling the ball coming up the court and pressuring the opposing guards so that they can't get the ball down low," said Kendrick, a junior who has started every game since she came to Georgia. "Everybody has to step up in the tournament, but I think it's going to be really important for us to step up our game."

Guards such as Baker can get on a defensive run and turn steals into easy points, while a Chambers hot streak from behind the arc can put a team away.

It's time to start making plays, Georgia coach Andy Landers said.

"I said this three of four weeks ago, at this time of year it's as important to make plays as it is to run plays," Landers said. "We have guards that are capable of making plays, at both ends of the floor."