July 12, 1999
PALMA DE MALLORCA, Spain The USA Women’s World University Games Team (4-2) was stopped short of its goal of earning the gold medal, falling to host Spain (6-0) 57-48 in the final game to collect the silver medal Monday night at the San Moix Stadium in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. In the bronze medal game, Russia defeated 77-71 Lithuania earlier in the day.
With the loss, the United States’ overall World University Games record dropped to 68-14 (82.9%) and has earned 10 medals in 11 competitions, including four golds, five silvers and one bronze medal. The only other time the U.S. and Spain have met in World University Games play was in the 1991 gold medal game, when the USA earned the gold with an 88-62 victory.
“We’re extremely disappointed we did not shoot the ball real well, and didn’t handle the adversity of not shooting the ball well. It was a game where we let our lack of offense affect our defense. Although obviously Spain didn’t shoot the lights out themselves, I thought that at the end of the game it was a two possession game, which we could have done something with. We didn’t handle that situation really well, but I think the girls played extremely hard and should be very proud of themselves with all the illness and the injuries that have hit this team since day one. We’ve handled diversity and certainly have grown and are at least coming home with some piece of medal in our pockets.,” said USA and Penn State head coach Rene Portland.
With 1:28 to go in the game, Katie Douglas (Purdue / Indianapolis, Ind.) knocked down a three-pointer to pull the U.S. within five points, 51-46. Spain scored on its next possession, but after Douglas missed a jumper, LaQuanda Barksdale (North Carolina / Winston- Salem, N.C.) grabbed the rebound and kept the Americans within five points with 52 seconds remaining. Spain again scored on its next trip down the court and the United States missed its next three attempts, while sending the Spaniards to the line twice in the waning seconds of the contest and the USA was forced to settle for the 57-48 loss and the silver medal.
“We missed some shots in the beginning and we put our heads down after we missed a lot of shots and that really affected our defense and how we wanted to play the game. We are disappointed that we didn’t win the gold, but there are a lot of good teams out here that didn’t even make it to the medal rounds, and we were able to make it here and earn a medal,” said Douglas who finished with a team leading 14 points.
The United States trailed from the first basket and never managed to hold the upper hand due to poor shooting and turnovers. In the game’s first 11:56, the U.S. shot just 20 percent from the field (4-20 FGs) and remained in the game by virtue of shooting 8-of-13 from the charity stripe, trailing 19-15 with 6:04 to go in the first half. The USA’s shooting woes continued, but it was able to stay with Spain and at the halftime buzzer, trailed 32-26.
Outscoring Spain 10-5 to open the second half, the Americans cut the deficit to 37-36 with 11:38 to go. But Spain notched the games next six points as the U.S. committed two fouls and two turnovers and the Spaniards moved out in front by seven, 43-36, at 8:50 and moved out to its largest lead of the game, 51-42 with 1:57 remaining.
“It’s kind of hard to say anything about the game,” said Ruth Riley (Notre Dame / Macy, Ind.), who scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds against Spain. “If you look at the stats, we rebounded well, we did a lot of things well, but our shooting killed us. Having played them before, knowing how they play and who their personnel is, it’s really disappointing losing to a team you’ve already beaten.”
The United States, which was without starting guard Brandi McCain (Florida / Silsbee, Texas), who injured her knee in the first contest of the Games; and Camille Cooper (Purdue / Georgetown, Ky.) and Andrea Garner (Penn State / Philadelphia, Pa.), who were both sidelined with a stomach illness; finished the night shooting a frigid 29.9 percent (17-61 FGs) from the floor, including 8.3 percent (1-12 3pt FGs) from beyond the arc, while Spain shot 41.5 percent (22-53 FGs) from the floor. Although the USA outrebounded Spain 44-40, Spain forced 12 turnovers.
“I’ve learned a lot here, mostly because you play against so many different kinds of players, you have to go up against teams you haven’t scouted and know nothing about their personnel, and you just have to go out there and play hard and adjust to playing with different teammates than at school. It’s all just a learning experience overall and I think it’s made me better as a player and it will help me next year,” added Riley.