• Recap
• Bleachers

No. 9 Georgia beats Bama for 14-0 start

Jan 3, 2010 - 11:18 PM TUSCALOOSA, Ala.(AP) -- Georgia needed a strong second half to tie a decade-old school record.

Ashley Houts scored 14 points to help the ninth-ranked Bulldogs get to 14-0 with a 52-44 victory over Alabama on Sunday.

Porsha Phillips had a career-high 17 rebounds, Angel Robinson had 10 points and 11 rebounds and Meredith Mitchell added 11 points and eight rebounds for Georgia in the SEC opener for both teams.

"We got spanked around in the first half," Georgia coach Andy Landers said. "In the second half we guarded them better. We kept them from scoring. It gave us a chance to gnaw away at their lead."

The Bulldogs, who have won 16 straight against the Crimson Tide (8-6) matched the record of the 1998-99 team that reached the Final Four.

"It says a lot about us, being down by 10 and coming back," Houts said. "The stops that we made were pretty crucial."

Varisia Raffington scored 13 points and Tierney Jenkins had 10 points for the Tide. Dedrea Magee had seven assists and six rebounds for Alabama.

Georgia trailed by 10 at the half, but opened the second half by scoring the first 15 points to take a 35-30 lead. Robinson and Mitchell each had four points during the run, and Houts three points to lead the comeback.

"It was a tale of two halves," Alabama coach Wendell Hudson said. "When you shoot 17.9 percent in the second half, it's awfully tough to beat the No. 9 team in the country."