Spring Break
Houts, U.S. move to title game
Issue date: 7/10/09 Section: Sports
BELGRADE, Serbia -- The U.S. National Team (6-0) opened up a huge first-quarter lead and cruised past Australia (4-2), 81-66, in the semifinals of the women's basketball competition at the World University Games on Thursday.
Georgia's Ashley Houts, a rising senior from Trenton, Ga., scored seven points, grabbed two rebounds, dished out an assist and notched a steal for the Americans. Houts, who entered the game shooting a sizzling 62.5 percent from the field, was 3-of-7 in the contest and 1-of-2 from three-point range.
The U.S. quickly blew the game open and led 27-13 in the first quarter. Eight different players scored for the Americans in the opening period and they never looked back.
Danielle McCray of Kansas led the U.S. offensively with 15 points, while Connecticut's Tina Charles posted a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds.
The U.S. will now face the Russian Federation in Saturday's Gold Medal Game at 9:00 a.m. ET. The Russians thumped the Czech Republic, 107-64, in the second semifinal.
The U.S. and the Russian Federation both sport undefeated 6-0 records at the World University Games. The Americans beat the teams' two common opponents (Australia and the Czech Republic) by an average of 26.0 points per game, while the Russians topped those foes by an average of 28.5 points.
For the tournament, Houts is now averaging 8.8 points while shooting 58.1 percent from the field, 53.8 percent from three-point range and 90.9 percent from the free throw line. She also is averaging 1.8 assists and 1.8 steals.
Houts will be attempting to earn her second Gold Medal with USA Basketball. In 2007, she was the only rising sophomore on the American team that won the U21 World Championships in Moscow. She also will try to become the fourth Georgia Lady Bulldog to win a Gold Medal at the World University Games along with Lady Hardmon in 1993 and La'Keshia Frett and Kedra Holland-Corn in 1997.
- Georgia Sports Communications
Georgia's Ashley Houts, a rising senior from Trenton, Ga., scored seven points, grabbed two rebounds, dished out an assist and notched a steal for the Americans. Houts, who entered the game shooting a sizzling 62.5 percent from the field, was 3-of-7 in the contest and 1-of-2 from three-point range.
The U.S. quickly blew the game open and led 27-13 in the first quarter. Eight different players scored for the Americans in the opening period and they never looked back.
Danielle McCray of Kansas led the U.S. offensively with 15 points, while Connecticut's Tina Charles posted a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds.
The U.S. will now face the Russian Federation in Saturday's Gold Medal Game at 9:00 a.m. ET. The Russians thumped the Czech Republic, 107-64, in the second semifinal.
The U.S. and the Russian Federation both sport undefeated 6-0 records at the World University Games. The Americans beat the teams' two common opponents (Australia and the Czech Republic) by an average of 26.0 points per game, while the Russians topped those foes by an average of 28.5 points.
For the tournament, Houts is now averaging 8.8 points while shooting 58.1 percent from the field, 53.8 percent from three-point range and 90.9 percent from the free throw line. She also is averaging 1.8 assists and 1.8 steals.
Houts will be attempting to earn her second Gold Medal with USA Basketball. In 2007, she was the only rising sophomore on the American team that won the U21 World Championships in Moscow. She also will try to become the fourth Georgia Lady Bulldog to win a Gold Medal at the World University Games along with Lady Hardmon in 1993 and La'Keshia Frett and Kedra Holland-Corn in 1997.
- Georgia Sports Communications
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