Dong Du Cup Championship
USA Outlasts China 92-89 For Tournament Title

August 16, 2001
ZHANGJIAGANG, China - The USA Basketball Women's World
University Games defeated China 92-89 to finish 3-0 and win the Dong Du Cup
title Thursday night in Zhangjiagang, China. Chantelle Anderson played 22 minutes and was 4-8 from the field and 1-2 from the line with six rebounds and three assists. Ashley McElhiney did not play in the game.

"I couldn't be more proud of this team," said USA team captain Kara Lawson. "It
was a tough environment to play in and China is a great team that didn't
give up. I think we showed a lot of guts which is encouraging going into
the (World University) Games next week. We're learning each other's
tendencies and we're really becoming a cohesive unit. We're having
different people step up. In the first game it was Shereka (Wright), next
game it was Lindsey (Yamasaki) and Ayana (Walker) stepped up big for us tonight.
We're a team that has any number of people who can play big for us."
"I had a bad game when we played Canada," said Walker. "So I wanted to
show up for my team tonight and contribute what I could. These games gave
us a good look at how we work as a team. We probably can go to Beijing and
win the gold. It's just a matter of hustling and working together."

The USA got off to a quick start with five points from Jenny Roulier
(Colorado / Englewood, Colo.) in the game's first 39 seconds. The game was
fast paced as the team's traded baskets throughout the beginning of the
first quarter and at the 6:54 mark, the Americans led by one, 12-11. The
USA squad went on a 12-2 run over the next 1:37 to go up 24-13 midway
though the first quarter. The USA held onto the lead until the end of the
second quarter when China scored with one second to go to tie the game at
58-58 at halftime.

Walker stepped up in the third quarter, scoring nine points, however China
continued to match the Americans' baskets. At the end of the third period
the USA held only a 78-76 lead over China. In the fourth quarter, Lawson
sank two 3-pointers while Roulier, who finished with 15 points, hit a
jumper to put the U.S. up 92-83 with 5:08 to play. China hit three
consecutive jumpers to close within three points, 92-89, with 1:58 on the
clock, however the U.S. defense shut down China to post the win.
"Tonight's win was a really great effort on our part," said USA Basketball
Women's World University Games and University of Virginia head coach Debbie
Ryan. "I thought we did a great job at the end of the game managing the
clock after we had the lead and then just making a couple of really big
stops were the difference in the game.

"Kara and Ayana were just awesome tonight," added Ryan. "Ayana was
unbelievable on the boards. Every big board we had to have, we got and she
was there to get it. Kara did a great job of running the club and came up
with some clutch shots for us. This tournament gives us some confidence
and a feeling of togetherness. We always knew we had good chemistry, but I
think that chemistry pulled us through tonight. We're not a team of
superstars. We're a team that just really plays well together."

Ryan is assisted by University of Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder and East
Carolina University (N.C.) head coach Dee Stokes. The USA travels to Beijing Friday and will continue to train Aug. 18-21 for the World University Games which sees the women's basketball competition get underway on Aug. 22.

The 2001 World University Games is expected to feature 19 teams that have
been divided into four preliminary round pools. The United States is in
Pool B with Canada, Japan and South Africa. The U.S. squad opens
competition on Aug. 22 facing South Africa at 11:00 a.m., then meets Canada
on Aug. 23 at 8:30 a.m., and concludes preliminary play against Japan on
Aug. 25 at 7:00 p.m. Tournament quarterfinals play gets underway Aug. 27,
with semifinals being conducted Aug. 30 and the medal games being held Aug.
31. All times are local Beijing, China time which is 12 hours ahead of EDT.

The World University Games, held every two years and organized by the
International University Sports Federation (FISU), is a multi-sport
competition open to men and women between the ages of 17 and 28 (born
between Jan. 1, 1973 and Dec. 31, 1983) and who are, or have been within
the past year, a student at a college or university. The USA Women have
enjoyed outstanding success in the World University Games and have earned
11 medals in 12 appearances, including four golds, six silvers and one
bronze medal, and have compiled an overall record of 68-14 (82.9 winning
percentage) since beginning World University Games play in 1973. In the
last competition, which was held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, the U.S.
finished with a 4-2 record and the silver medal. The USA Women last earned
the World University Games gold in Sicily in 1997.2001 Dong Du Cup Results

2001 Zhangjiagang Tournament Schedule / Results

	Won	Lost
USA	3	0
China	2	1
Australia	1	2
Canada	0	3

All times are local Beijing, China time which is 12 hours ahead of EDT.

Tuesday, August 14
USA 76, Australia 53
China 87, Canada 70

Wednesday, August 15
USA 89, Canada 41
China 94, Australia 41

Thursday, August 16
Australia 66, Canada 55
USA 92, China 89