Georgia passes VCU | Sports

Four Georgia players spent most of the game in the locker room after being ejected late in the first quarter after a hard foul that escalated into words and shoves.

While the technical fouls — five in total — allowed the Rams to build a 10-point cushion, it also ignited something in the undermanned Bulldogs that carried them to their seventh straight win.

Alisha Lewis led Georgia (7-0) by 16 points. Javyn Nicholson had a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds, Malury Bates also had 13 points and Audrey Warren finished with 11 points. Diamond Battles, the Bulldogs’ top scorer at 15.2 points per game, was held to seven points.

Sarah Te-Biase posted a career-high 25 points and Grace Hutson added 13 points for Virginia Commonwealth (2-4).

The trouble started with just under three minutes left in the first quarter and the Rams leading 10-9.

Bulldogs forward Jordan Isaacs had just been whistled under the basket for a hard foul on VCU’s Grace Hutson. As Isaacs started talking to Hutson, Rams forward Keowa Walters came in from behind – and received a hard shove from Isaacs, leading to a scuffle that saw several Georgia players leave the bench or the check-in area.

After the umpires spent nearly 15 minutes checking replay monitors, Issacs was assessed two intentional fouls and one technical foul and thrown out of the game. Bates received a technical foul, as did Walters.

As for the Bulldogs players who came onto the court, all three – Brittney and Zoesha Smith and Amiya Evans – were also ejected.

The resulting free throws, plus a jump from Te-Biasu on the resulting possession, gave Virginia Commonwealth a 19-9 lead by 2 minutes and 47 seconds. VCU would then lead 24-16 at the end of the quarter.

Georgia coped in the second quarter, however, beating the Rams 19-9 during that period and going 35-33 ahead on Bates’ layup with 32 seconds left.

VCU came closest in the third quarter when Hutson’s 3-pointer tied the game at 39-all 6-11 to the left. But the Bulldogs ended the quarter on an 11-4 run to move up to 50-43 and extended their lead to as much as 16 points late in the fourth quarter.

Alisha Lewis, Georgia: While two of the Bulldogs’ top scorers sat in the locker room fighting fights, the 5-foot-7 guard (who averages 4.0 points per game) came out big. She made 5-of-9 from the field — a game-best 4-of-7 on 3-pointers — and 2-for-2 on free throws.

Sarah Te-Biasu, Virginia Commonwealth: The 5-5 guard also came out big for the Rams — just not enough when needed. She made 7 of 14 from the field (including 3 of 8 on 3 points) and 8 of 10 free throws to beat her previous career by a point.

Virginia Commonwealth will end their tournament against Wisconsin at 2pm today, while Georgia will play Seton Hall at 4:15pm. A win for the Bulldogs would earn them the Island Division title.