As report (via On3), Georgia head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson didn’t pull any punches after her Bulldogs fell to top-ranked South Carolina, but she made sure everyone knew her young team put up one heck of a fight.
Despite the loss, Abrahamson-Henderson found plenty of silver linings in holding the nation’s most dominant team to a season-low 65 points—a defensive performance that showcased Georgia’s potential even without one of their key players.
Missing a Key Piece
The Bulldogs were forced to battle South Carolina’s imposing size without sophomore post player Mia Woolfolk, a significant disadvantage against the Gamecocks’ length.
“I mean, we got size. We just didn’t have Mia Woolfolk today,” Abrahamson-Henderson explained. “She’s obviously a really good post player with more size, but I thought we did a really good job of holding, I don’t know if they’re number one in the country, I don’t know what they are, to 65 points, I think that’s the lowest they’ve scored.”
The coach emphasized that the game plan focused on neutralizing South Carolina’s transition game and controlling the boards—two areas where the Gamecocks typically dominate.
“Our goal was not to let them get transition layups, which they’re amazing at, right? And then try to keep them off the boards,” she said.
The Youth Factor
Perhaps the most telling revelation was just how inexperienced Georgia’s roster is when it comes to playing in hostile SEC environments. Abrahamson-Henderson revealed a staggering statistic that puts the team’s performance in perspective.
“I know that you guys are focused on South Carolina. I get it, but eight of my players have never played here. We have eight new players. Eight. So, five transfers, three freshmen, haven’t played here,” she stated emphatically.
The coach acknowledged that the intimidating atmosphere of Colonial Life Arena affected her team early, leading to first-half jitters that prevented them from executing their offensive game plan.
“Our four returners have come into this atmosphere, which is amazing, and it’s great and wonderful. I mean, that was kind of like the first half, kind of jitters. I said I should have put a bunch of music on and loud,” Abrahamson-Henderson said with a hint of humor. “We really settled and settled down at halftime, and then we started to kind of get our flow back a little bit.”
Lessons from a Brutal Schedule
Georgia’s early-season SEC schedule has been unforgiving, facing powerhouses like Ole Miss, LSU, and now South Carolina in quick succession. But Abrahamson-Henderson sees the gauntlet as a valuable learning experience.
“If you want to be the best, you’ve got to play against some of the best, right?” she reasoned. “I think our team is going to be really, really good.”
She highlighted the youth across her roster—freshman Zhen Craft, sophomores Dani Carnegie, Trinity Turner, and Mia Woolfolk, plus junior Rylie Theuerkauf—as pieces that will develop through these tough early tests.
“They got to get used to playing in, you know, this league. They haven’t really played in this league. Only four of them have played in this league,” Abrahamson-Henderson noted. “I think it’s hard to play these tough teams first, right? But it’s really tougher than us up to.”
Neutralizing Carnegie
When asked about South Carolina’s defensive strategy against sophomore standout Dani Carnegie, Abrahamson-Henderson gave the Gamecocks credit for executing a textbook game plan.
“They didn’t let her use on-ball screens,” the coach explained. “I mean, that’s how I would guard Dani. Just deny her. Don’t want to get the ball face guard. Don’t let her use on-ball screens.”
Carnegie, playing in Colonial Life Arena for the first time as a sophomore, felt the pressure of being Georgia’s go-to scorer—pressure that would have been eased by Woolfolk’s presence.
“She has a lot of pressure on her now that she’s been their leading scorer. Every night is something for her, right? And once again, it doesn’t help that we didn’t have Mia, because Mia takes a lot of pressure off everybody, because she’s a bucket. She’s a human bucket on that little block,” Abrahamson-Henderson said.
Despite the loss, Georgia’s coach left Columbia with her head held high, knowing her young team competed defensively and gained invaluable experience that will pay dividends as the season progresses.
Source: On3
