Any defeat is difficult to take — especially the Georgia women’s basketball team’s loss to Vanderbilt last week.

The No. 16 Lady Dogs (16-5, 5-3 SEC) dropped their fifth straight to the Commodores in a 68-48 loss on Thursday. Georgia was in the game for long stretches before falling away in the second half as Christina Foggie tied this season’s SEC single-game high score with 34.

“I felt like we just were playing without any heart,” junior Anne Marie Armstrong said. “I mean, down 19 with four minutes left, we should have continued fighting as a group and continued to play as hard as we could and I felt like everyone let up and just saw the score and let that determine how we were going to play instead of trying to cut it down.”

The Lady Dogs don’t have much time to reflect on or repair the issues of Thursday as they prepare or the visit of the No. 7 Tennessee Lady Volunteers on Sunday.

On Jan. 5 the Lady Dogs suffered their first conference loss of the season 80-51 in Knoxville, Tenn.

The players and head coach Andy Landers saw plenty of similarities between the first loss to Tennessee and the defeat to Vanderbilt.

“I think it was a lot similar to the Tennessee game,” Armstrong said. “I just felt like when we were struggling on offense we let that carry over onto the defensive end. I thought that a lot of effort wasn’t there in the second half and when we did get down we continued to hold our head down not just as a team but as individuals.”

Senior guard Meredith Mitchell agreed with Armstrong.

“We got out-rebounded again and that’s something that we focused on coming into the game [and] just didn’t do a good job of it at all,” Mitchell said. “Defensively we didn’t get after them like we’re supposed to — like we had planned — and that was evident in the Tennessee game as well.”

In the first game, however, Georgia was only missing Marisela Rodriguez and Ebony Jones — both of whom have missed all but four minutes of the season.

For the second meeting the Lady Dogs are battling the injury bug with point guard Jasmine James unable to practice due to a sprained knee and Krista Donald still limited due to her own knee problems.

“With the roster that we have now we basically have one day to prepare,” Landers said. “With six kids you can’t bust it for two days and expect to come out the next day and have the energy to play the minutes that we have to play, so you would think they’d value those preparations day.”

Despite the issues surrounding the Lady Bulldogs, the importance of the game against Tennessee is not lost on Georgia.

“It’s a huge game,” Mitchell said. “Definitely a win that we need especially coming off of a big loss against Vandy. Any time you play Tennessee, it’s a big game but this one just means a lot just because of the loss and the defeat that they gave us earlier this year.”

Armstrong said a win has to be coupled with an increase in effort and intensity from the Lady Bulldogs.

“Every game’s important, and to come out Sunday and play hard and get a win would bring a lot of momentum,” she said. “It would definitely help us out — I think that we’re capable of beating any team in the SEC but our ability to play the best we can is going to come when we are playing as hard as we can and I’m not sure if we’ve played as hard as we can collectively yet.”

Effort was one of the buzz words for Georgia following its loss at Tennessee earlier this month, as Landers was heavily critical of the energy they showed.

He was also unhappy with the rebounding of his team in that first loss to the Lady Volunteers.

Tennessee grabbed 52 boards while Georgia only collected 32.

Rebounding has continued to be an issue for the Lady Dogs, who have been out-rebounded in three of their last four games.

“What’s important is that you make the effort and you do the things that you have to do to win,” Landers said. “Some of these pieces that we’re repeating when we play aren’t getting corrected you know the rebounding piece, we actually chart who doesn’t go to the board and it’s the same people every week that stand and watch and it’s mind-boggling you know when we got to the boards we’re really good.”

Landers says relationship with Summitt a ‘good’ one

With the visit of Tennessee comes their legendary coach Pat Summitt. After her diagnosis with early onset dementia last year has left her future with the Lady Volunteers uncertain.

Depending on Summitt’s decision at the end of this season, Sunday could be her last visit to Athens.

Landers reflected on his relationship and rivalry with Summitt that began during Jimmy Carter’s presidency in 1979.

“We’ve had a good relationship. We’ve had our differences but both of us have had the ability to get over whatever it was that was bothering us,” Landers said. “I’d say we’ve gotten along very, very well through the years in spite of the competition through the years.”

For Mitchell — who in all likelihood will be playing against Tennessee for the last time — the desire that has brought Summitt eight national championship’s reflects more than just her abilities as a coach.

“She’s definitely a great coach. She’s a legend. She does a lot and she has done for the program at Tennessee and just women’s basketball in general,” Mitchell said. “Her passion for the game and the dedication that she has says a lot about her character and the type of person that she is.”

Lady Dog freshman returns from injury

The Lady Dogs did have one positive amongst the negatives of Thursday’s defeat, as freshman Krista Donald returned to the court for the first time since Jan. 15 against Mississippi State.

Landers said while he was glad to have her back to help with Georgia’s greatest need, he also urged caution.

“She’s a kid that can help us on the boards,” Lander said. “But we’ve just got to be careful with her because we’ve got to manage her minutes.”

Donald said she was glad to back on the court as well as playing as a guard for the first time this year.

“That’s my true position, so it was just me playing,” she said. “It was very exciting [but] it’s just a step forward in my progress.”

Donald said that her knee felt “so-so” against Vanderbilt but hoped to play increased minutes on Sunday.