Lady Dogs Announce Non-Conf Slate

From UGA release...

Sunday home dates with four 2009 NCAA Tournament teams headline the 2009-10 non-conference portion of the Georgia Lady Bulldogs schedule, announced by head coach Andy Landers on Thursday.

On Nov. 15, the Lady Bulldogs will open the campaign by hosting Oklahoma, a 2009 Final Four participant. Additional March Madness qualifiers coming to Stegeman Coliseum on Sundays include Rutgers on Nov. 22, Georgia Tech on Dec. 6 and Virginia on Sunday, Dec. 20.

"I think our non-conference schedule is both ambitious and attractive," Landers said. "It will challenge a young basketball team with its difficulty and entertain our fans with its quality. There's certainly a presence of big-time programs, and we look forward to the challenges that they present. Additionally, several of the 'big games' are on weekends, which should be great for our fans."

After hosting the Sooners, the Lady Bulldogs will travel to Chattanooga on Thursday, Nov. 19. That outing will serve as a homecoming for senior Ashley Houts, a native of Trenton, Ga., about 25 miles from Chattanooga, where she was the two-time Chattanooga Times Free Press Georgia Player of the Year for Dade County High.

Georgia hosts Rutgers three days later and then faces Alabama State in Athens on Wednesday, Nov. 25 before traveling to the Southern Miss Lady Eagle Thanksgiving Classic on Nov. 27-28.

The Lady Bulldogs will return to Athens for a five-game homestand, hosting UAB on Tuesday, Dec. 1; Georgia Tech on Dec. 6; Tennessee State on Tuesday, Dec. 8; Virginia on Dec. 20; and Detroit on Tuesday, Dec. 22.

Following the holiday break, Georgia rounds out its pre-conference schedule with successive games at Clemson on Monday, Dec. 28 and Savannah State on Wed., Dec. 30. That trip will serve as a second senior homecoming. Beach High alum Christy Marshall was tabbed the
2007 Savannah Player of the Year by both the Savannah Morning News and WTOC TV.

The Southeastern Conference schedule is yet to be finalized; however, league play will begin on Sunday, Jan. 3 and will expand from 14 to 16 games this season.

The 2010 SEC Tournament will be held at the Arena at Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Ga., on March 4-7.

Houts Invited to USA Hoops Trials

From UGA Athletics...

Georgia's Ashley Houts has accepted an invitation to try out for the U.S. National Team that will compete in this summer's World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia.

"I'm very excited and anxious at the same time," Houts said. "I think this is a great opportunity to represent our program and the University of Georgia. I'll do my best to do that and make the most of this chance."

Houts, a 5-6, guard from Trenton, Ga., who just completed her junior year in Athens, is among 29 players attending team trials from May 17-19 in Colorado Springs, Colo. Finalists will return to Colorado Springs on June 18 for a training camp, with the 12-player team announced prior to the squad's expected departure for Serbia on June 25. The World University Games will be held on July 1-11 in Belgrade.

Houts is one of seven players attending the trials with gold medal-winning experience with USA Basketball. In the summer of 2007, Houts was the lone rising sophomore chosen for the National Team that won the U21 World Championships in Moscow. She averaged 4.1 points per game, including 14 points in 16 minutes of action against Belgium in the quarterfinal round.

Edwards Nominated for Olympic HoF

From UGA Athletics...

Teresa Edwards, a two-time All-American for the Georgia Lady Bulldogs and the only basketball player -- male or female -- to represent the United States in five Olympic Games -- has been nominated for the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.

From now through June 16, fans can cast their votes for the 2009 class of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame online at www.teamusa.org/halloffame.

Lady Dogs Puleo to Transfer

From UGA Athletics...

Angela Puleo, who recently completed her sophomore season with the Georgia Lady Bulldogs, has decided to transfer to complete her basketball eligibility, head coach Andy Landers announced on Tuesday.

Puleo, a 5-9 guard from Maryville, Tenn., started 32 of 33 games played as a freshman in 2007-08, averaging 8.2 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. This season, she started 28 of 31 games and averaged 7.4 points and 2.4 boards per game.