Notre Dame senior guard Megan Duffy was one of 25 players named to the 2005-06 State Farm Wade Trophy preseason candidate list, it was announced Wednesday. Duffy is one of four point guards on the list, joining UCLA's Nikki Blue, Texas Tech's Erin Grant and North Carolina's Ivory Latta.

Duffy Leads Team USA Past Czech Republic, 88-64 At World University Games

Aug. 10, 2005

IZMIR, Turkey – Notre Dame rising senior point guard Megan Duffy (Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade-Julienne HS) scored a team-high 14 points to lead four players in double figures as the United States opened preliminary round play at the World University Games with an 88-64 Pool B victory over the Czech Republic Wednesday in Izmir, Turkey. Duffy connected on 5-of-8 shots from the floor, including 4-of-6 from behind the deeper international three-point line (20 feet, 6.1 inches), while adding two assists and two steals in her first-ever appearance in a Team USA uniform.

Michigan State’s Liz Shimek chipped in with a double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds), while Ohio State center Jessica Davenport also had 13 points and Rutgers guard Cappie Pondexter collected 11 points and a team-best three assists for the Americans, who shot 50.7 percent (36-71) for the contest. Team USA also won the rebounding battle, 36-27, and committed just seven turnovers, while coming up with 12 steals. Veronika Bortelova came off the bench for the Czech Republic and led all scorers with 15 points.

Prior to tipoff, USA Basketball announced that Duffy and Pondexter, the two BIG EAST Conference representatives on the U.S. World University Games Team, had been voted co-captains by their teammates. The pair immediately showed the way for the Americans in the opener, combining to shoot 60 percent (9-15) from the floor and helping Team USA dig out from a 19-18 deficit after the first quarter. The U.S. broke open the game by outscoring the Czechs, 52-31 during the second and third periods, winding up with the second-highest point total by any team on the first day of preliminary round competition.

In the other Pool B contest on Wednesday, Poland crushed China, 86-41. The remaining games on the opening day saw Australia nip Slovenia (80-78 in overtime), Serbia & Montenegro trounce Great Britain (94-56), Lithuania down Ireland (83-59), Taiwan topple Canada (71-56), Russia oust Germany (79-49) and host Turkey defeat Sweden (72-52). The total field for women’s basketball was cut to 20 teams when France withdrew prior to the event.

Team USA returns to the hardwood Thursday at 10:30 a.m. local time (2:30 a.m. EST/CDT in South Bend) when it squares off with South Africa in the second of four preliminary-round games.

— ND —

2005 USA World University Games Team Schedule (Izmir, Turkey)
Aug. 10 Czech Republic W, 88-64 (Pool B play)
Aug. 11 South Africa 10:30 a.m. (Pool B play)
Aug. 12 China 12:45 p.m. (Pool B play)
Aug. 15 Poland 12:45 p.m. (Pool B play)
Aug. 16 Quarterfinals
Aug. 17 Semifinals
Aug. 19 Finals
All times local and subject to change (NOTE: Turkey is eight hours ahead of South Bend’s current EST/CDT time zone)