Georgia used the same five starters for all but one game last season. As they kicked off the 2018-2019 season Friday night against St. Bonaventure, they had to replace three of them.
Mackenzie Engram and Haley Clark were both seniors and are no longer on the team, while sophomore Que Morrison, who played an important role throughout her freshman year, was forced to miss the first game due to a knee injury.
“We knew that the starting five would come in and do what they were supposed to do,” head coach Joni Taylor said. “Nobody out there was gun shy or nervous about stepping into a starting role.”
Stephanie Paul, who has starting experience in her Georgia career despite not starting last season, filled the forward position that was vacated by Engram, who graduated last spring.
Paul got off to a quick start, scoring Georgia’s first two points of the season with a pair of free throws. Paul added another layup before being taken out in Georgia’s first substitution and replaced by Malury Bates.
University of Georgia forward Stephanie Paul (3) attempts a jumpshot over University of Florida forward Paulina Hersler (12) during a game between the University of Florida and the University of Georgia at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Georgia on Saturday, February 24, 2018. (Photo/Tony Walsh)
“[Paul] can play the guard spots and forward spots,” Taylor said. “She has a great IQ, so she helps out defensively a lot. She can do a lot of things on the offensive end of the floor.”
Maya Caldwell and Gabby Connally took over the two vacant guard spots, playing alongside last year’s starting point guard Taja Cole.
“I thought they did well,” Cole said. “They were kind of nervous, I told them just to relax and to play your game. It’s going to be different for us without Que, we’re just going to pick it up and just try to replace her until she gets back.”
University of Georgia's freshman guard Maya Caldwell looks down the court during the team's game against the University of South Carolina at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Georgia on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018. The Lady Gamecocks defeated the Lady Bulldogs 77-65. The home team wore pink uniforms in honor of the nationwide Play for Kay movement. (Photo/Vira Halim, www.virahalim.wordpress.com)
Connally and Caldwell both struggled with their shots early, combining to go 1-6 from 3-point range in the first half.
Connally finished the game 2-6 overall and 1-4 from 3-point range. She also added three assists and two steals. Caldwell finished 3-8 for seven points and added five rebounds and two assists.
“I thought they did great,” Taylor said. “Gabby played a lot of minutes as a freshman last year and that's the thing that’s so good about this group, our freshmen class last year got a lot of experience.”
That experience that the younger players gained last year should ease the pain of losing some big-time performers from last year’s team. Another area that could prove key, as it did Friday, is the bench.
Jenna Staiti, who redshirted last season after transferring to Georgia, came in and scored nine points on a perfect 4-4 from the field, and was Georgia’s third leading scorer. Kaila Hubbard also provided six points of her own to go along with six rebounds.
Georgia struggled as a team from 3-point territory throughout the night, finishing 4-19. That will be one area they have to replace lost production from last season, when Engram and Morrison finished second and fourth on the team in 3-point field goals made.
“When we were shooting earlier, everything looked good,” Caliya Robinson said. “I think it’s just the nerves from when you haven’t really been playing like that. For the newcomers, I think it was just some jitters. We have to get back in the gym.”