Ashley Houts

Staff Photo by Allison Kwesell
UTC's Jenaya Wade-Fray drives the ball past Georgia's Jasmine James in the first half at McKenzie Arena on Thursday.

Like she has so often during her college basketball career, point guard Ashley Houts provided the spark Georgia needed.

The Trenton native got the 16th-ranked Lady Bulldogs going early in the second half with 10 straight points and they eventually pulled away from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga for a 74-57 win Thursday night in front of 4,004 at McKenzie Arena.

"She did what we needed her to do," Georgia coach Andy Landers said of Houts, who finished with 21 points, five assists and four steals and was the center of attention throughout the game.

The UTC student section eventually started booing every time she touched the ball, which prompted the hundreds dressed in red and black, many of them Houts' friends and family members, to respond with roars of approval.

"I didn't hear a lot of that until towards the end, but it's always good to have some fans wherever you go," Houts said afterward. "Luckily, we had a lot tonight."

Georgia's Jasmine James led all scorers with 25 points, including 19 in the second half. The Lady Dogs (2-0) outscored UTC 41-21 in the final 20 minutes.

"You could tell they definitely raised their intensity and got it going in the second half," UTC coach Wes Moore said.

Lady Mocs forward Shanara Hollinquest had 20 points and 11 rebounds but was held to four points in the second half. Jenaya Wade-Fray added 15 points and nine rebounds, going 5-for-10 from 3-point range.

After shooting a modest 40 percent in the first half, the Lady Mocs (1-2) shot 25.9 percent in the second. Georgia, meanwhile, shot 55.2 percent in the second half after shooting 35.5 in the first.

Late in a back-and-forth first half, Tenisha Townsend hit a jump shot to put UTC up 35-33, and Erin Helton's two free throws made it 34-30 with 1:33 remaining.

Hollinquest scored to put the Lady Mocs up by six, but Houts answered with a 3 late in the final minute to make it 36-33 at the break.

Led by Houts, the Lady Dogs were on the attack from the start of the second half and opened the period with a 14-3 run, Houts scoring the first 10 points.

"I don't think there was an emphasis on me trying to drive," Houts said. "I think there was an emphasis on us trying to score."

Hollinquest scored inside to cut Georgia's lead to 47-41, but James hit a 3 on the Lady Dogs' next possession to make it 50-41. Christopher kept UTC close with three 3s in the next couple of minutes.

"We've got to have her looking to shoot," said Moore, who took Christopher out in the first half after she passed up some open looks.

Georgia answered UTC's surge and pulled away in the closing minutes.

The Lady Mocs, who play Sunday at Kentucky (3-0), haven't started a season 1-3 since 2005-06, when they won their next 26 games and reached the NCAA tournament.