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10 I Wednesday, December 6, 2006 | The Red & Black SPORTS B-BaU effort earns victory By PHILLIP KISUBIKA pkisubika@randb.com A recurring theme in Georgia’s young season has been their offense, which ranks first in the SEC in scor ing and second in field goal percentage. In what can only be described as a tune-up for a tough holiday schedule, the Georgia men’s basketball team (6-1) had strong offen sive outputs from the perime ter and the post en route to a 96-67 win over the Gardner- Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs (1-6) Tuesday at Stegeman Coliseum. “I was pleased with the effort tonight,” head coach Dennis Felton said. “We held them (Gardner-Webb) to under 40 percent from the floor and outrebounded by about 20. We took care of business and won.” Forward Takais Brown led Georgia in scoring with 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting, with 12 of those points com ing in the second half when the team made a concerted effort to bring the ball inside. “I’m a scorer and a rebounder,” said Brown, who added five rebounds. “That’s what I was told when I was recruited, and that’s what I’m here to do. “We really wanted to estab lish a dominant inside game from the beginning, but they were determined to keep it out of our post players’ hands, and we were shooting it well from outside so we didn’t try it as much in the first half,” Felton said. It was a good night for Georgia behind the arc, as they shot 58 percent from three-point range. Most of those outside shots came in the first half, including 12 of the Bulldogs’ first 14 points of the game. In fact, Georgia made as many three-pointers as free throws (11). Trouble is, the team shot a SCOTT CHILDS | The Red & Black ▲ Sophomore center Rashaad Singleton (45) recovers a rebound during the first half of Tuesday night’s game, helping Georgia defeat Gardner-Webb. better percentage from beyond the arc than from the charity stripe. “We struggled from the free throw line — we need to get better there,” Felton said. The team’s most consis tent offensive player Tuesday night was the player who’s been Georgia’s most consis tent player for the last three years. Senior guard Levi Stukes MEN’S B-BALL Georgia 96, Gardner-Webb 67 Scoring Leaders: Takais Brown- 21 points; Levi Stukes- 20 points made all six three-pointers he attempted, finishing seven-of- eight from the field with 20 points. “It felt like every time the ball touched my hands, I had a good chance of making it,” Stukes said. But the key for the Bulldogs has been their bal ance. Tuesday, the Georgia guards scored 44 of the team’s 96 points, and the forwards and centers scored 52. “We’re developing good chemistry and playing well off of each other,” Felton said. BOWL: Teams look similar in rankings >- From Page 1 VIRGINIA TECH Bulldogs play look like? Aptly, much like them selves. The NCAA rankings show the teams to be simi lar, with Virginia Tech having a slightly better defense and Georgia with a little more proficiency on offense. The Hokies’ defense is best in the nation in total and scoring defense, while Georgia’s total defense ranks ninth and their scor ing defense is 21st. Experts are predicting the defenses to take over, making the game a low- scoring battle. Neither school’s offense is as good as its defense, according to the numbers. Georgia is No. 77 in total offense nationally, while Virginia Tech is No. 95. Even with similar stats, Virginia Tech lost half as many games as the Bulldogs and played in far fewer that were close. Seven of Georgia’s games were decided by less than a touchdown. Just one Hokie game was that close. Two other differences in the two schools’ seasons: • Georgia lost four of five games at one point this Season Leaders Passing Sean Glennon, 157-276, 2,097 yards, 11 TD, 8 INT Rushing: Brandon Ore, 221 attempts, 1,095 yards, 14TDs Receiving: Eddie Royal, 27 rec., 452 yds, 3 TD season. Close Bulldog losses to Kentucky and Vanderbilt are the difference between the two teams’ seasons. Virginia Tech endured just a two- game losing streak. • The Bulldogs beat rival Georgia Tech; the Hokies lost by 11 to the Yellow Jackets “Virginia Tech and Coach (Frank) Beamer have done such a great job over the years,” Georgia head coach Mark Richt said. “We know we’re gonna have our hands more than full.” But with a win, Richt said he thinks his team will re-enter the top 25 poll, maybe even in the top 20. Beamer was excited about the chance to oppose the Dogs as well. “We’re gonna do our best to make it a great bowl game,” he said. Coaches honor trio for making All-SEC The SEC’s football coaches honored three Bulldogs among the confer ence’s top players Tuesday. Tight end Martrez Milner, rover Tra Battle and returner Mikey Henderson were named to the All-SEC First Team. Center Nick Jones was named to the All-SEC Offensive Second Team, while linebacker Tony Taylor and defensive end Charles Johnson earned All- SEC Defensive Second Team honors. Arkansas led all teams with six players on the first team, while SEC champion Florida had 11 players SPORTS NOTEBOOK named to the first or second teams, more than any other school. Ole Miss linebacker Patrick Willis and Arkansas running back Darren McFadden were the only unanimous All-SEC First Team selections. — Jamie Cwalinski Dooleys to receive humanitarian award Former Georgia football coach and athletic director Vince Dooley and wife Barbara have been chosen as the 2006 recipients of the Nell and John Wooden Humanitarian Lifetime Coaching Achievement Award. The award, presented annually by the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame, recognizes coaches who have had a humanitari an impact. The award also recognizes the coach's spouse for their behind-the- scenes contributions. The Dooleys will be hon ored along with Humanitarian Hall of Fame inductees Steve Largent, Harmon Killebrew and Steve Smith on Thursday in Boise, Idaho. The Dooleys are the fourth recipients of the award. John and Nell Wooden were the inaugural recipients in 2003, followed by Pete and Florence Newell in 2004 and Frosty and Donna Westering in 2005. In addition to his athlet ic accolades, Dooley has been active in many charity endeavors, including serv ing as chairman of the Easter Seals Society for three decades. He also has worked on behalf of HERO For Children, the Salvation Army and the Boy Scouts of America, and he has served organizations supporting research for multiple sclerosis and juvenile dia betes. — Georgia Sports Communications Gonzaga tickets still available Student tickets for the men’s basketball show down against Gonzaga are on sale today at Stegeman Coliseum Ticket Booth Four from 2 to 7 p.m. The cost is $5 for students. The game will take place on Saturday, Dec. 16 at the Arena at Gwinnett Center in Duluth. — Sam Steinberg ►►►PROFESSORS 4 44 SEE US FOR All YOUR CLASS PACKET NEEDS. ► (CPYR16HT PERMISSIONS ► CCPYW^BiNDiNS ► COMPliMEN WT (CPY ► FREE PiC&JP h DEIMRY M m * » T Downtown Athens -JEAN 706-548-364* PRINT CENTER OMHmfOMlMM wmp«rep@l>ef-j?0ii.flnn