U.S. Wins First Two Contests At World University Games
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Staff Report-
Gwangju, South Korea – After getting off to a slow start, Team USA, comprised mostly of players from the University of Kansas, used stingy defense and outrebounded Brazil in an 81-72 win Sunday in the second contest for the Americans in the World University Games at DongKang College Gymnasium. Wayne Seldon scored 15 of his team-high 23 points after halftime to pace Team USA. Warsaw Community High School alum Nic Moore, on loan to Team USA from SMU, played less than 10 minutes and did not score, but had three rebounds before fouling out. “We’re not going to have a chance to advance very far if Nic only plays nine minutes and fouls out,” Kansas and Team USA head coach Bill Self told Bobby Nightengale of the Lawrence (Kan. ) Journal-World. “But I thought that really our bench carried us to where I thought our starters carried us the other night.” Seldon played all but eight seconds in the contest, and added three assists, four rebounds, three steals and four turnovers. The Jayhawks have an off day today, but will return to the court to face Chile at 2:30 p.m. (1:30 a.m. EDT) Tuesday at Muan Indoor Gymnasium. The game will not be televised. Opener Vs. Turkey The United States shot just 39 percent from the field, and overcame a 1-point first half deficit in a 66-57 victory over Turkey in its World University Games men’s basketball opener on Friday night at the DongKang College Gymnasium. The U.S./Kansas University team hit 27 of 69 shots, including five of 20 (25 percent) from behind the three-point line. Moore scored nine points, including a pair of key three-pointers to help the team expand its second-half lead. He also contributed two rebounds, a pair of assists and three steals in 30 minutes. One of the difficulties for shooters was adjusting to rims, which were harder than the rims they shot at during practice. “It has to be a swish or it’s going to be a brick,” Moore said. “I didn’t even know when we first got out here if the rims were breakaway because they look so hard.” The game became even more special because the game was on the Fourth of July. Korea is 14 hours ahead of Lawrence time. The Jayhawks planned to celebrate Independence Day with other American teams later in the evening. “That’s actually kind of a special thing,” KU sophomore guard Devonté Graham said before the game. “I don’t think that many people thought about it. But playing on July 4th, it won’t be July 4th back in the States, but it’s a special thing.”
