USA Stays Undefeated At World University Games Behind 12 Points Apiece From Maryland's Baxter And Dixon
8/28/2001 8:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Aug. 28, 2001
Click here for 5-game USA Statistics at the World University Games
BEIJING, China -- Behind a USA World University Games single game record of 32 points from 6-8 forward Chris Owens (Texas / Duncanville, Texas), the USA (6-0) ran away with its sixth victory in as many games by downing South Korea 128-97 on Tuesday night in Beijing.
The win upped the USA's record at the 2001 Games to 6-0 and extended the USA's overall winning streak at the World University Games to 46-0. As the No. 1 seed out of quarterfinal medal round Group K, the United States will face also unbeaten host China (5-0) on Thursday night. Yugoslavia (5-0) advanced to medal semifinal play and will compete against the No. 1 team out of Group L. The winners of both semifinal contests will compete for the 2001 World University Games men's basketball gold medal on Friday night at 9:00 p.m. (all times local).
South Korea started the contest by taking a 7-4 edge at 8:28, but that would be its only lead of the game as the United States took the lead for good, 8-6, following a Juan Dixon (Maryland / Baltimore, Md.) steal and field goal at 6:45. Holding a slim 10-8 lead, the United States scored seven uncontested points before the Koreans began tossing in threes as four of their final six field goals of the first quarter came from beyond the arc, and at the end of the first quarter the game was a close 27-24 in favor of the Americans.
After swapping baskets to open the second quarter, the U.S. nudged the gap to four points, 34-30, with 8:11 to go in the half. Owens, who scored 16 of his 32 points in the second quarter, scored his squad's first six and final four points in a United States 17-6 scoring frenzy which left the USA in command 51-36 at 3:39. By the halftime buzzer, the United States held a 62-45 advantage.
In the third quarter the United States pulled away 26 points, 85-58, at 3:46 and closed out the third stanza ahead 95-74. Following a pair of South Korean free throws, Antwain Barbour (Wabash Valley / Elizabethtown, Ky.) and Lonny Baxter (Maryland / Silver Spring, Md.) strung together nine points to put the game away 104-76 with 7:24 to play. Owens, who scored 30 points by the end of the third quarter and didn't see much action in the fourth, returned to the game midway through the final period and at 4:06, turned an offensive rebound into a layup for his U.S. record-breaking final points.
The previous U.S. World University Games record was 31 points set by former University of Colorado's Jay Humphries in 1983 against Lebanon.
Including Owens, six U.S. players scored in double digits, including Melvin Ely (Fresno State / Harvey, Ill.), who scored 15 on a perfect 7-of-7 from the floor, Barbour had 14 points, the University of Maryland duo of Baxter and Dixon recorded 12 apiece and Dan Dickau (Gonzaga / Vancouver, Wash.) added 10 points and had four steals. Owens, who led the U.S. on the glass with 10 rebounds, notched 10 points from five of his eight offensive rebounds.
South Korea's Joo-Sung Kim scored a team high 28 points, while Hoon Jung scored 19.
The United States shot a sizzling 60.7 percent from the field and South Korea hit 50.8 of its attempts, including 45.0 from afar (9-20 3pt FGs.) The United States outrebounded South Korea 36-19 and recorded 13 steals, while forcing a total of 22 turnovers.
Dunn is being assisted on the sidelines by collegiate head coaches Rod Barnes from the University of Mississippi and Al Skinner from Boston College (Mass.).
The World University Games, held every two years, is a multi-sport competition open to athletes between the ages of 17 and 28 (born between Jan. 1, 1973 and Dec. 31, 1983), who are, or have been within the past year, a student at a college or university.
With the win, the U.S. improved its winning streak at the World University Games to 46 games, dating back to the 1989 WUGs. Having captured six consecutive gold medals, the USA has been a dominating force at the WUGs since beginning play in 1965. The U.S. has earned an incredible 16 medals in as many appearances at the Games, including 12 golds, three silvers and one bronze, and lists an amazing 116-6 (.951 winning percentage) record at the event.
OFFICIAL BASKETBALL BOX SCORE -- G A M E T O T A L S South Korea vs USA 8/27/01 7:00 p.m. at Beijing, China ---------------------------------------------------------------------- VISITORS: South Korea (1-4) TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS No. NAME FG FGA FG FGA FT FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN 04 J. Park * 4 9 3 4 1 2 1 4 5 5 12 1 1 0 1 24 06 D. Yang * 6 10 0 1 3 4 1 1 2 4 15 5 1 0 0 38 07 H. Jung * 4 7 1 2 10 11 1 2 3 0 19 3 4 0 0 29 08 J. Park * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 4 15 J. Kim * 12 19 0 0 4 4 2 5 7 2 28 3 4 0 0 40 10 J. Han 3 10 2 6 1 2 0 4 4 4 9 0 3 0 0 29 12 Y. Oh 3 8 2 5 3 3 2 1 3 3 11 0 5 0 0 24 14 K. Park 1 2 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 1 0 1 12 TEAM ................................ 0 0 0 1 TOTALS 33 65 9 20 22 26 7 17 24 19 97 14 22 0 2 200TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 16-32 .500 2nd Half: 17-33 .515 Game: .508 DEADBALL 3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 7-13 .538 2nd Half: 2- 7 .286 Game: .450 REBOUNDS F Throw % 1st Half: 6- 7 .857 2nd Half: 16-19 .842 Game: .846 3 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- HOME TEAM: USA (6-0) TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS No. NAME FG FGA FG FGA FT FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN 05 A. Barrett * 2 7 1 4 1 2 0 0 0 3 6 4 0 0 1 21 09 J. Dixon * 6 17 0 6 0 0 2 1 3 2 12 1 0 0 2 24 10 C. Owens * 14 17 0 0 4 5 8 2 10 2 32 0 0 0 0 26 14 R. Mason, Jr* 4 5 0 1 1 4 0 2 2 2 9 2 2 1 2 22 15 M. Ely * 7 7 0 0 1 1 0 5 5 4 15 1 6 2 1 22 04 D. Dickau 4 8 2 4 0 0 1 0 1 1 10 2 0 0 4 15 06 L. Greer 2 9 0 4 1 1 0 2 2 1 5 0 1 0 0 17 07 E. Barron 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 6 08 A. Barbour 5 6 1 1 3 3 2 1 3 0 14 2 1 0 0 18 11 J. Reed 3 3 0 0 3 4 0 2 2 0 9 0 0 0 1 11 12 T. Smith 1 2 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 3 13 L.Baxter 6 8 0 0 0 0 4 4 8 1 12 1 0 0 2 15 TEAM ............................... 0 0 0 2 TOTALS 54 89 4 20 16 22 17 19 36 19 128 14 12 3 13 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 26-42 .619 2nd Half: 28-47 .596 Game: .607 DEADBALL 3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 2-10 .200 2nd Half: 2-10 .200 Game: .200 REBOUNDS F Throw % 1st Half: 8-13 .615 2nd Half: 8- 9 .889 Game: .727 2
----------------------------------------------------------------------- OFFICIALS: Zakis, Paulik TECHNICAL FOULS: South Korea - none USA - none ATTENDANCE: 200 SCORE BY PERIODS: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th OT1 OT2 TOTAL South Korea 24 21 29 23 97 USA 27 35 33 33 128
