No. 14 Georgia 84, Alabama 59

2/5/2006 5:06 PM

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) - Janese Hardrick stole the defensive spotlight from teammate Sherill Baker in leading No. 14 Georgia to an 84-59 win over turnover-prone Alabama on Sunday.

Hardrick collected a career-high eight steals and scored 14 points off the bench for the Lady Dogs (17-5, 6-2 Southeastern Conference), winners of four straight games. Baker, the NCAA steals leader, added three to her total, two below her average.

Cori Chambers scored 16 of her 18 points in the first half for Georgia. Tasha Humphrey, the SEC's leading scorer, had 16 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out with 2:56 to play. Baker scored 15 points.

The Crimson Tide (8-14, 2-7) came in averaging 20 turnovers a game and reached that number by halftime. Alabama finished with 36 turnovers in losing its sixth straight game. Georgia had 45 points off turnovers, compared with six for the Crimson Tide.

Navonda Moore led Alabama with 23 points and 12 rebounds.

Neither team shot well in the first half, hitting only 40 percent of their shots from the field. But Georgia was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line and capitalized on Alabama's errors.

The Lady Dogs put together a 20-0 run to take a 27-4 lead midway through the half.

Chambers hit six of eight from the field in the first half, including three of four from beyond the 3-point line.