This just in from the UGA Sports Communications Office:

ATHENS, GA. — Georgia’s Jasmine James (pictured) was named SEC Freshman of the Week for women’s basketball on Monday, the conference-record fifth time the Memphis native has been selected as such during the 2009-10 season.

Last week, James averaged 13.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals in helping the Lady Bulldogs defeat South Carolina and Arkansas. James scored 15 points, including 13 in the second half, of Georgia’s 56-49 win in Columbia on Thursday. She then scored nine points and collected a game-high four steals in the Lady Bulldogs’ 69-48 victory over the Razorbacks on Sunday.

James tied the Southeastern Conference record of five Freshman of the Week certificates also held by Candace Parker of Tennessee, Angie Bjorklund of Tennessee and Ciera Ricketts of Arkansas. She broke the Georgia record of Freshman of the Week honors of four she held with senior Ashley Houts.

James was honored on Nov. 16 initially after scoring a team-high 15 points in an upset of No. 13 Oklahoma in the season opener. She was selected again on Nov. 30 after averaging 19.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists in a trio of Thanksgiving week victories. Her third honor came on Dec. 21 after posting team highs of 17 points, and 10 rebounds against No. 19 Virginia. James also was tabbed on Jan. 11 after averaging 14.0 points in victories over Kentucky and Florida and hit the game-winning three-pointer in overtime versus the Wildcats.

(J.J. photo courtesy of Fastbreaker Bill Zachmann.)

Well, you’d like to think that closing the season with a pair of impressive SEC wins might earn Georgia a little bit more of a “bump” in the polls. The AP writers aren’t quite seeing it that way, giving the Lady Bulldogs only a two-spot promotion to #24 this week. You can say this much, though…after watching the team free-fall in the rankings for the past few weeks, it’s positively refreshing to see the Lady Dawgs once again rising in the polls. Here’s this week’s AP top five and Georgia’s ranking:

1. Connecticut

2. Stanford

3. Nebraska

4. Tennessee

5. Xavier

22. GEORGIA

Click here to see the entire AP top 25.

Sunday’s Fastbreak Club Senior Social was a very memorable and emotional affair as a standing-room-only crowd of almost 200 Fastbreakers, Lady Bulldog players and their families, and team support personnel gathered to honor Ashley Houts, Christy Marshall, and Angel Robinson. After hearing from teammates, their mothers, and Coach Landers, the trio inaugurated a new senior tradition at UGA by becoming the first outgoing Lady Bulldogs to sign the brand-new bulldog statue located just outside the women’s basketball offices. If you were there, these photos will remind you of a wonderfully bittersweet event. If you couldn’t make it, here’s what you missed:

Georgia – 69, Arkansas – 48. Much to the relief of a big Senior Day crowd at Stegeman Coliseum, a Georgia team looking much more like the 16-0 Lady Dawgs that got off to the program’s best start than the sub-.500 team that has struggled for the few weeks came storming out of the tunnel to roll up the Lady ‘Backs of Arkansas, 69-48. Ash and Angel took their final Coliseum bows late in this game…and Ashley went out the way she came in as a Lady Dawg, knocking down shots, taking charges, and leaving everything on the floor. “A-Train” finished with 15 points to lead the Lady Bulldog scoring effort. Jasmine Hassell, who continues to rapidly come into her own as a dominant post player, scored 13 points while shooting 5-of-9 from the field. Once Jazz gets her defender posted up and calls for the ball…you can mark it down, it’s two points. She’s almost automatic. J.J. added nine points while Porsha had yet another “big-ups” day on the boards, pulling down 11 rebounds. With this convincing win on the books, the Lady Dawgs sweep the season series from Arkansas and now they’ll have a little momentum at their backs as they head down the road a piece to Duluth, GA for the SEC Tournament.

Georgia is the #6-seed in the SEC Tournament and they will open play in the final game of Thursday night’s session (around 9:00 PM, depending how long the preceding game goes) as they take on Alabama for the third time this season. The Lady Dawgs swept the regular season series with the Tide, winning 52-44 in Tuscaloosa and then blowing ‘Bama out in the rematch, 76-47, at the Coliseum.

We’ll have all the SEC Tournament information any Fastbreaker could ever possibly need posted right here sometime tonight (Monday).

Click here for the official Georgia/Arkansas recap and a link to the stats and box score.

Two of the most beloved Lady Dawgs ever: Ashley checks out of her final game at Stegeman Coliseum as a Lady Bulldog and gets a big hug from Angel, her roommate and fellow Senior Day honoree.

Between the big win over Arkansas yesterday, the Senior Social, and pairings for the SEC Tournament being announced, there’s a LOT of stuff to get posted today. So, please…hang in there. I’m working on getting it all prioritized so that the most important information is the easiest to find here on the site. We’ll have everything posted and the Fastbreaking world back up to speed within a few hours. Thanks!

With a top-four SEC Tournament seeding (and the first-round bye that goes with it) now a mathematical impossibility, the Lady Bulldogs head into tomorrow afternoon’s game against Arkansas looking to establish some positive momentum for what they hope will be a four-games-in-four-days run to a championship next week in Duluth. To do that, they’ll have to beat the Lady ‘Backs for the second time in six weeks. The first game, played in Fayetteville, was a Lady Bulldog blowout until Arkansas managed to put together a run during “garbage time” that cut Georgia’s final margin of victory to ten points. The rematch tomorrow is the last home game of the season…so every Fastbreaker within an easy drive is expected to show up and show some love. It’s been a memorable season…and hopefully it’s not even close to over.

With tomorrow being the last home game of the season, that means it will be the last game in Stegeman Coliseum for our senior players and team support personnel. Senior players Ashley Houts, Angel Robinson, and Christy Marshall, along with senior managers Renae Bracken and Chase White will be honored in a pre-game ceremony and, immediately after the game, they will be the guests of honor at the annual Fastbreak Club Senior Social. You can find all the details about the Senior Social by clicking on the link below. We look forward to seeing you there as we say goodbye…for now…to these five outstanding ambassadors for Lady Bulldog basketball.

Georgia and Arkansas are set for a 2:00 PM (Eastern) tip-off tomorrow afternoon at Stegeman Coliseum. You can watch the game live on the SEC Network (check your local listings for channel) and, as always, Jeff and Maria will also be calling the action live on your local Georgia Bulldog Radio Network affiliate station We’ll have a game recap, web links, and exclusive photos from both the Georgia/Arkansas game and the Senior Social posted right here sometime tomorrow evening.

Coming Monday: A look at the SEC Tournament bracket and information about Georgia’s yet-to-be determined first-round opponent, tip-off times, and ticket information. Hang on tight, Fastbreakers…March Madness is almost upon us.

Click here for the official Georgia/Arkansas game notes.

Here’s a link to the official Arkansas women’s basketball page.

Click here to see the entire Lady Razorback roster.

Click here for details about tomorrow’s Fastbreak Club Senior Social.

Georgia – 65, South Carolina – 49. The Surge is underway. Tonight, the Lady Bulldogs looked like a team that’s ready to reacquire its early-season swagger. They went into Columbia tonight and just flat-out rolled up on the Gamecocks by a score of 65-49 and avenged a loss in Athens to Carolina earlier this month.

Ashley Houts tonight? Spectacular. 21 points. 7-of-7 from the field, including going 3-for-3 from three-point land. Porsha had another double-double with 13 points and 10 boards. J.J. added 15 in a relatively balanced scoring effort by the Lady Bulldogs. The Lady Dawgs hit half of their shots from the field (23-of-46) while pressuring the Gamecocks into a tepid 19-of-56 shooting performance. Simply put…when this team is knocking down shots and dictating the pace of the game on defense, they win games. It’s been a frustrating last few weeks in the Lady Bulldog Nation…but Georgia may be getting hot at just the right time. March Madness lurks around the corner.

But first, we’ve got to say goodbye to Angel, Ash, and Christy, our phenomenal seniors. Senior Day is this Sunday when Georgia clashes with Arkansas at the Coliseum. We’ll have a Georgia/Arkansas preview posted right here sometime during the day on Saturday.

Click here for the official Georgia/South Carolina recap and a link to the stats and box score.

This just in from the Southeastern Conference news service:

ATLANTA (Feb. 25, 2010) – The Atlanta Tipoff Club today announced the 30 midseason candidates for the 2010 Women’s Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T, and the Southeastern Conference (SEC) is represented by four student-athletes.  Georgia’s Ashley Houts (pictured), LSU’s Allison Hightower, Ole Miss’ Bianca Thomas and Tennessee’s Shekinna Stricklen all made the list.

The list was voted on by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, comprised of leading basketball journalists from around the country. The board based its criteria on player performances this season.

The Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T is the most prestigious national basketball award and is given annually to the women’s college basketball player of the year. This year, the award will be presented at the NCAA Women’s Final Four in San Antonio, Texas.

Beginning March 22, AT&T wireless customers – and sports fans on other wireless networks – will be able to text their votes for the player of their choice.  Fans will be eligible to cast their vote for the winner until 11:59 PM EDT on Saturday, April 3, 2010. AT&T is making the voting open to other wireless carriers, allowing even more fans to participate. Other wireless carriers must opt-in for their subscribers to participate. Standard messaging rates apply.

SEC Players
Ashley Houts, Georgia
Allison Hightower, LSU
Bianca Thomas, Ole Miss
Shekinna Stricklen, Tennessee

(Ash photo courtesy of Fastbreaker Bill Zachmann.)

As is almost always the case, the coaches voting in the ESPN/USA Today poll once again rubber-stamped the rankings from the AP poll. The top five teams are identical and both polls have the Lady Bulldog clinging to a ranking at #24. The climb back up begins tonight in South Carolina. I say we run the table on these last two games, go deep in the SEC Tournament, get a great seed for The Big Dance, and shock the nation before the end of March. Who’s with me?

Here’s this week’s ESPN/USA Today top 25 and Georgia’s ranking:

1. Connecticut

2. Stanford

3. Nebraska

4. Tennessee

5. Xavier

24. GEORGIA

Click here to see the entire ESPN/USA Today top 25.