Georgia pulled away early in the second half and led by over 20 points before beating Marist 75-60 on Sunday. Marist gave the Lady Dogs the fight they expected, and it was Georgia’s intensity on rebounding and defense as well as efficient shooting that made the difference. Tasha Humphrey had 23 points, Sherill Baker added 19 points and nine steals, and Alexis Kendrick nearly pulled off a triple-double with 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists.

The Lady Dogs move on to the second round to face #11 seed Hartford who upset #6 seed Temple. Hartford is led by forward Danielle Hood. Hood scored 20 points against All-American candidate Candice Dupree, and Tasha Humphrey and Megan Darrah will have their hands full with her. The Hawks only attemped five three-pointers against Temple, so expect them to try to go inside and exploit Georgia’s thin depth in the paint. They will be full of confidence after their upset win, and they should have plenty of fans in the stands.

Hartford is coached by former UConn standout Jennifer Rizzotti.

With her 131st start tonight, Alexis Kendrick will tie Kelly Miller’s Georgia record for career starts.

Should Georgia advance, they will earn the program’s 16th trip to the “Sweet 16″ round where they will face either UConn or Virginia Tech in Bridgeport, Conn. on Sunday evening.

#3 Georgia Lady Dogs vs. #11 Hartford Hawks – Tues. at 7:00, Trenton, NJ. Televised by ESPN2