USC
U.S. National Team (exhibition)
USC Posts Strong Showing Against U.S. National Team
November 13, 2007 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 13, 2007
Box Score
Video on Trojan TV All Access
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| Team USA praises the Women of Troy
LOS ANGELES, CALIF. - The USC women's basketball team took on the world's best on Tuesday at the Galen Center, welcoming home Trojan great and three-time Olympian Lisa Leslie for an exhibition match against the USA National Team. Off on a 2007 College Tour that pits the USA squad against several of the top collegiate programs, the U.S. National Team kept their winning streak alive with a 88-64 exhibition win over the Women of Troy. But there were many bright spots for the Trojans in the game, as USC became the first team on the Tour to lead the USA at halftime. The Women of Troy were led in scoring by Hailey Dunham with 14 points, and got 12 from Morghan Medlock and 11 from Brynn Cameron. The United States saw USC alum Lisa Leslie lead all with 25 points and 10 rebounds. Kara Braxton added 21, and Diana Taurasi scored 14 for the USA.
The Trojans put the U.S. team in the largest hole it has faced during the 2007 College Tour, leading 29-18 during the first half. The Women of Troy went on to put the USA in its first halftime deficit of the Tour as well, holding a 36-33 edge thanks to a 3-for-3 effort from 3-point range from Brynn Cameron, who held a game-high 11 points at half. The Trojans shot 47 percent from the field in the first half, compared to the USA's 36 percent. The USA upped its shooting percentage significantly in the second half, however, making a run to steal back a lead and pad it up to as much as 26 late in the game to put the Women of Troy out of reach.
Lisa Leslie made herself right at home at her old USC stomping grounds, punching in the first points of the night for the U.S. National Team and sinking a pair of free throws to open up an 11-4 USA lead. Aarika Hughes knocked down a 3-pointer next for the Trojans, however, then snagged a rebound to get USC back on the attack. Allison Jaskowiak drilled a three next, cutting the USA lead to 11-10 with 14:50 on the clock. A jumper from Hailey Dunham gave USC its first lead of the game at 12-10, but Sue Bird answered with a three to lift the United State back on top 14-12. Dunham against was responsible for bumping the Trojans back ahead, taking USC to a 16-14 lead. And a three-point play from Morghan Medlock later kept USC on top 19-16 with just over 10 minutes left in the half. Brynn Cameron busted a three and a long two next for the Trojans to give USC a 24-18 lead. Another Cameron three, and the Trojans were enjoying a nine-point lead at 27-18. Jaskowiak dealt a rare blow to the U.S. team next, scoring a long baseline bucket that put the USA behind 29-18 - the first time during the 2007 College Tour that the United States has trailed by double digits.
Nadia Parker came up with a block against USC's own alum Leslie with 3:22 to go in the half, then nabbed a steal to set USC on the attack. Leslie delivered an assist on USA's next trip down, however, as the U.S. squad made it 32-25 with 2:30 remaining. The USA made a run next, however, cutting into the Trojans' lead and tying it up on a Seimone Augustus jumper 33-33 with 30 ticks left in the half. Cameron had the last word, nailing her third of three 3-pointers in the game with just 2 seconds left to give USC a 36-33 halftime lead.
USA worked back ahead early in the second half, however, going up 43-38 until Hughes drained another bomb for the Trojans to make it 43-41 with 16:20 on the clock. Diana Taurasi - hailing from nearby Chino Hills - landed three 3-pointers for the U.S. team later, while the U.S. defense continued to stall out the Trojans as the USA worked its way to a 56-41 lead with 13 minutes to go. Morghan Medlock worked her way into double digits with a jumper from the top of the key at the 10-minute mark to make it 58-47 USA. Nadia Parker's first points of the night came with seven minutes left, getting a score from the paint to go in over the USA's posts. That made Parker the 10th Trojan to score in the game and made it 67-51 USA. The U.S. team continued to roll from there, upping its shooting percentage to 70 percent in the half and 47 percent overall to building up a 79-53 lead with 3:45 left. Kate Henderson became USC's 11th player to go when she finished off a fast break to make it 79-55 USC, and then Markisha Lea completed the Trojans' scoring effort with a bucket of her own, capping an all-around effort by the Women of Troy with all 12 players on the court scoring in the match. Baskets from Medlock and Dunham got the score to 83-61 USA as the final minute approached, and then Leslie stepped up to the free-throw line and built her point total up to a game-high 25 at the 1:15 mark. Dunham knocked down a jumper to close things down on the game, giving the sophomore 14 points in the game and ending the exhibition action with an 88-64 United States victory.
USC (0-1) now turns back to official competition as the Trojans host Colorado at 1 p.m. on Sunday (Nov. 18) at the Galen Center.
FLASH QUOTES
U.S. Head Coach Anne Donovan
"Coach Trakh does a great job. He has done a great job with this team. They are confident, well-coached and they are going to have a great season this year."
USA Guard/Forward Diana Taurasi
"They [USC] play like a ranked team. I was impressed with their size. They have size on the inside and on the perimeter. They are incredibly well-coached. On this college tour, you can tell the teams that are well-coached. They are poised and play well together."
USA Center Lisa Leslie
On the play of USC:
"This is a really good team that plays well together. Hailey Dunham does a great job of running the team from the point guard position. Morghan Medlock also played incredibly well tonight."
On USC coming out with a lead in the first half:
"I think that we were a little taken aback when USC came out the first play in a zone. Although we knew our plays, w e were a bit unprepared for them to come out like that and I think we took a step back and it took us a little bit of time to come back."
USC Head Coach Mark Trakh
On the game:
"This was such a great game. They are such great ambassadors for the game. The team is really a class act."
On the play of his team:
"I think we have a bright future. I think we played well and with so much respect. I am very proud of the way that we played tonight."
On changes USA made during halftime:
"They adjusted really well at halftime. They came out and were determined. They picked up the intensity."
On how the game will help them with the home opener against Colorado:
"I think it will help us. The fact that we kept the game relatively close and led at halftime will give us a sense of confidence. It will give us a little jump in our step that we can take to the game against Colorado, so I think that it will really help us."
USC Guard Hailey Dunham
On USC leading at halftime 29-18:
"I was on cloud-nine. Our intensity was crazy. We were so pumped. Once we got our offense going we were hitting shots. We were so honored to play this team."
On the team:
"This game just shows how hard we can play and how well we play together."
