What a way to start a season.

The 2009-10 basketball season opens up for the Lady Bulldogs on Sunday afternoon in Stegeman Coliseum as they welcome a 2009 Final Four team in the Oklahoma Sooners.

The No. 8 Sooners posted an impressive 32-5 record last season but will look somewhat smaller in 2010 as the graduation of superstar center Courtney Paris will undoubtedly alter Oklahoma’s game plan.

“They have really good guards, they have kids that can break you down off the dribble and then they have kids who can shoot the three,” Georgia head coach Andy Landers said.

“Their guard core got overlooked [last season] . they’re all back and I expect that now they’ll rip and roar from baseline to baseline.”

Even with solid guard play, the loss of Paris will certainly affect what the Sooners are able to do on both ends of the court.

Paris, the only four-time first-team All-American in NCAA history, posted 15.9 points-, 13.6 rebounds-, and 2.9 Blocks-per-game last season, with a .565 field goal percentage to top it off.

Without Paris in the middle, Oklahoma will be susceptible on the defensive end and a victory for the 21st-ranked Lady Dogs may be within reach.

A victory that Landers knows would do wonders for a relatively young basketball team.

“There’s no question that it would give a young team a lot of confidence and a glimpse at what the future could hold for them,” Landers said. “It could be something that could really motivate and inspire them.”

An additional hurdle for Georgia will be the absence of senior guard Christy Marshall who tore her ACL in October, two days before preseason practice could officially begin, and will miss the entire 2009-10 season.

“It takes one of those veterans out of the mix. It takes three years of experience and maturity off the roster and that’s a big blow,” Landers said.

“You’re talking about a big wing that’s very skilled and had a chance to come back as a senior and do some great things.”

The upstart Lady Dogs will tip-off against the Sooners this Sunday afternoon with a scheduled start time of 2:30 p.m. The first 2,000 fans receive Georgia basketball T-shirts.