With Humphrey serving suspension, Darrah comes through

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) -- Megan Darrah scored a career-high 24

points to lead No. 17 Georgia over Middle Tennessee State 90-72

Wednesday.

The Lady Bulldogs played without sophomore forward Tasha

Humphrey, a preseason all-Southeastern Conference first-team

selection. She is serving a one-game suspension for an undisclosed

violation of team rules and did not travel with the team.

Georgia (4-2) broke a 26-26 tie with seven minutes left in the

first half on a shot from Sherill Baker, and extended the lead to

40-32 five minutes later when Darrah scored from the right wing.

Middle Tennessee (3-2), which led 19-15 eight minutes into the

game when LaCondra Mason hit a 3-pointer, missed six of seven shots

later in the first half as Georgia took control. The Blue Raiders

cut it to 40-36 as Krystle Horton and Latoya Barclay scored on

consecutive possessions with a minute left in the period.

Desire Bostice scored on Georgia's next possession, giving the

Lady Bulldogs a 42-36 lead at the half.

MTSU's Tia Stovall scored 15 seconds into the second period,

making it a four-point game, but the Blue Raiders got no closer.

Georgia took a 90-70 lead with 13 seconds remaining on a Baker

layup off a steal, before Chrissy Givens scored the final basket of

the game. Givens scored 24 for MTSU, with Tia Stovall adding 13.

Darrah, who set her previous career high of 17 points last Jan.

10 against Stetson, led four Georgia players scoring in double

figures. Baker finished with 23, Alexis Kendrick with 19 and Janese

Hardrick with 13. Bostice grabbed 11 rebounds and scored nine

points.