Georgia's guards an active lot

Zolman recalls pressure created by Lady Dawgs

Shanna Zolman spit out the number as if her memory was equipped with speed dial.

Seven - turnovers that is.

It's been nearly two years and the Tennessee senior has total recall of her ball-handling meltdown in a women's basketball game against Georgia.

"Their pressure was so great,'' Zolman said. "It was almost overwhelming at times."

The Lady Vols guard will be on guard against a sense of deja vu when the Lady Bulldogs visit for a 7 o'clock tipoff tonight at Thompson-Boling Arena.

The game is the first of two regular-season meetings between the long-time SEC rivals.

Since Sa'de Wiley-Gatewood's departure last month, Zolman has been playing both guard positions for top-ranked Tennessee (15-0), a role similar to two seasons ago. Unlike in 2004, after Loree Moore's season-ending knee injury, UT still has a bona fide point guard in sophomore Alexis Hornbuckle, who played 37 minutes against Connecticut last Saturday.

Hornbuckle said Wednesday that she's comfortable with her workload. UT coach Pat Summitt is not.

"Thirty-seven minutes - she doesn't need to be playing those kind of minutes,'' Summitt said.

When Hornbuckle isn't playing point, Zolman is next in line. Summitt didn't sound ready to give guards-in-training Dominique Redding and Lindsey Moss the keys to the offense against Georgia and its ravenous guards. Therefore, Zolman needs a better handle on the situation.

"I know how quick they are,'' she said of the Lady Bulldogs. "I know what I can do to counteract it. It's a matter of me having to outthink and outsmart their quickness.''

By necessity, No. 13 Georgia (11-3) has placed a greater premium on its guard play. Preseason knee injuries suffered by 6-foot-3 Rebecca Rowsey and 6-5 Angel Robinson, along with 6-6 Reicina Russell's departure, downsized the roster.

"I think our level of focus is as high as since I've been here,'' Georgia sophomore Tasha Humphrey said. "Everyone out there is trying to do the right thing. We have a veteran team. Everyone is a year older, a year wiser.''

Humphrey's statistics are better than ever. The 6-3 forward is averaging a team-leading 20.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. She passes credit to the backcourt.

"I attribute my numbers to the guards' numbers,'' she said. "Our team has been shooting the ball extremely well. We've had games where we've been very hard to guard.''

Georgia starts three guards - Sherill Baker, Alexis Kendrick and Cori Chambers. Fellow guard Janese Hardrick is the top reserve. They've played a part in some noteworthy per-game team averages: 84.2 points, 48.1 percent field-goal shooting and 7.3 3-point baskets.

Baker is the team's second-leading scorer, averaging 18.4 points per game (an increase of seven over last season), and its most ruthless defender.

Before last Sunday's game against Florida, the 5-8 senior was honored as the team's all-time steals leader. She responded with two more in the game's first 25 seconds. For her career, Baker has 352 steals. For the season, she has 75 (5.4 per game) and has had a big hand in the opposition's 19.9 turnovers a game.

"Sherill Baker is one of the toughest defenders you'll face,'' Hornbuckle said. "She gets after the ball.''

Since she's primarily an off-ball defender, Baker will be double trouble for Zolman, either in her face at off guard or preying on her passes from the point.

"They're so aggressive,'' Zolman said. "It's important you not only read your defender but the defender who's playing the player you're trying to pass to.''

At least Zolman has something to worry about other than her shooting. She's coming off a 1-for-10 performance against Connecticut and is 10 for 36 (27.7 percent) in the last four games, during which the opposition has put her on lockdown.

"What's wrong? Is your shot broke?'' said Zolman, recounting the typical reactions "There's nothing wrong. I have a target on my back.''

Tonight, a target also will be on the ball.

Notebook: Zolman, Hornbuckle and Lady Vol Candace Parker are on a re-released list of candidates for the Naismith Trophy, presented annually to the men's and women's players of the year.