UGA lost 53-46 to LSU Sunday in Stegeman Coliseum, dropping to 2-5 in the SEC. Seniors Tiaria Griffin and Shacobia Barbee led the team with 13 and 12 points, respectively, while Merritt Hempe and Pachis Roberts both pitched in eight points.

After taking the lead with 4:11 remaining in the third quarter, the Bulldogs (14-6, 2-5 SEC) failed to score another field goal until around the 8:00 mark in the fourth quarter. Both teams struggled to score throughout the game, but the edge went to LSU (8-12, 2-5 SEC) as the Tigers outscored the Bulldogs in the fourth to seal the victory.

“We’ve got to have consistent effort from everybody that’s the on the floor, bench included,” Georgia head coach Joni Taylor said. “Until that happens, we’re going to have these peaks and valleys.”

Here are five observations from the game:

1. Scoring droughts

Georgia had several scoring droughts throughout Sunday’s game against LSU. The Bulldogs went down 8-0 in the first quarter and went 3-for-10 on their first 10 shots. Georgia finished the first half shooting only 29.4 percent.

Both teams improved offensively in the second half, but Georgia’s six-minute scoring drought that spanned over the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth prevented its chances of a comeback.

“We talked all week long knowing this was alumni weekend, and we had a chance to correct what we did last year,” Taylor said of the alumni game. “For these players that are coming back and take great pride in following you and cheering you on, you’re playing for them today.”

2. Rebounding battle

The Bulldogs also lost the rebounding contest in Sunday’s game, with LSU out-rebounding Georgia 36-27. Though both teams were even in defensive rebounds, with 18 apiece, the Tigers grabbed 19 offensive boards compared to Georgia’s nine.

“At halftime, we had nine boards, and they had nine offensive rebounds, and we just showed no effort in rebounding the basketball, which is disappointing because that can be one of our strengths,” Taylor said. “The most disappointing thing is for the shots that we missed, not to go get them off the offensive rebound and create your own momentum.”

3. Get into the paint

Only 16 of Georgia’s 46 points came from inside the paint on Sunday. Instead of focusing on the easy baskets, the team relied heavily on outside shots, attempting 17 3-pointers and only making four (23.5 percent).

4. Ten or less

Georgia has scored 10 or fewer points in six of its last 16 quarters, most of which have been in the first half of the games. The Bulldogs have struggled getting their offense going in the beginning, leading the team to have to play catch up in the second half.

5. Inconsistencies

Sunday’s loss made it the second week in a row that Georgia has beaten a top-20 team, only to lose to an unranked team the very next game. The Bulldogs entered Sunday’s game coming off a win against No. 10 Mississippi State on Thursday. Georgia beat No. 20 Florida on Jan. 14 before falling to Alabama on Jan. 17.

“A good team handles success, and good teams respect every opponent,” Taylor said. “For our kids not to do that knowing how this league is, knowing how tough it is every given night, it’s just extremely disappointing,”

Georgia closes out its three-game homestand on Thursday against Auburn at 7 p.m. EST.