July 26, 2003

SIBENIK, Croatia (July 26, 2003) -- The USA Young Women's National Team (2-0) received 61 points from its bench while earning a convincing 95-46 victory over a feisty South Korean (0-2) squad on Saturday afternoon in Sibenik, Croatia. Leading the way for the USA were Kristen Mann (UC Santa Barbara / Santa Ana, Calif.) with 16 points, Caity Matter (Ohio State / Bluffton, Ohio) pitched in 15 and Shawntinice Polk (Arizona / Hanford, Calif.) contributed 13. The Americans continue 2003 FIBA World Championship For Young Women play on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. (10:30 a.m. EDT) against Brazil (1-0), which faces France (0-1) tonight at 6:45 p.m. (12:45 p.m. EDT).

"I liked yesterday's performance on a lot of dimensions. From a defensive point of view I thought we did a tremendous job yesterday and we did another good job today," said USA and Ohio State University head coach Jim Foster. "But offensively we were much better today. South Korea is such a disciplined team, they force you to maintain your discipline and I was very happy with that from a defensive point of view. They're going to take 24 seconds and they're going to get a shot or try everything they can to get a shot. So you have to concentrate because they throw a lot of stuff at you. I was very happy with our defensive intensity, as well as the length of that intensity."

The United States opened the game strong and after a pair of steals resulting from a pressure defense, earned an 11-4 advantage at 5:44. After a South Korean basket, Matter, who had 12 points by halftime, caught fire and scored nine points from beyond the arc in a U.S. 14-2 run to close out the first quarter owning a comfortable 25-10 lead.

The USA scored the second quarter's first five points, including a Matter trey at 9:01, and the squad was in command 30-10. However, the Americans' defense lapsed, allowing South Korea to go on a run of its own and at the 5:27 mark the USA's 20-point lead had been shaved to 11, 32-21. Both teams swapped baskets and with 2:54 to go before the break it was still an 11-point ball game, 38-27. Polk powered her way inside for a layup and Mann followed with a 3-pointer. After a South Korean free throw, Mann finished off the half with a put back and the USA went to the locker room with a 45-28 lead.

"We played really well today," said Mann. "We came out really soft yesterday and we weren't really ready. We had a lot of days off from playing back in Boston, but we regrouped after the game yesterday, put it past us and came out a lot harder today, with a lot more fire. Yesterday we were rushing things, playing at a really fast pace. So today we needed to slow down, reverse the ball a little more in our offense. We executed really well today."

South Korea never seriously threatened in the second half as the USA outscored the Koreans 50-18 and cruised in for the victory.

Alana Beard (Duke / Shreveport, La.) passed off four of the USA's 20 assists, Mann grabbed a game high eight rebounds and Polk was credited for a game high three steals.

The USA shot a sizzling 54.2 percent (39-72 FGs) from the field, while it's stifling defense held the Koreans to a frigid 27.3 percent (15-55 FGs). The U.S. dominated on the glass 51-11 and as a testament to its teamwork, passed off for 20 assists on 39 field goals.

Foster is being assisted by collegiate head coaches Kathy Delaney-Smith of Harvard University (Mass.) and Felisha Legette-Jack of Hofstra University (N.Y.).

In other preliminary round Group A play, France (1-1) took care of Brazil (1-1) 65-47 and the 9:00 p.m. game will feature host Croatia versus the Czech Republic. In Group B, Latvia (2-0) downed Argentina (1-1) 75-63, Australia (1-1) rallied past China (0-2) 83-67 and Russia (2-0) ran past Tunisia (0-2) 86-45.

Additional Quotes

JIM FOSTER, USA and Ohio State University head coach

On the depth of the USA team:

"I would like to think that with the heat and having to play eight games in 10 games, depth is a good thing to have. And we're getting 12 players pretty good minutes. So as long as we can share the ball, we can do that."

On the USA's next opponent (Brazil):

"I think they're a very, very good basketball team and it will be interesting to see how the game is called. They have great size and they're very physical. The games we played in the States, their post players got into foul trouble, but I haven't seen anybody get into foul trouble here."

CAITY MATTER, Ohio State University

On her game today:

"I felt pretty good, they were playing a zone and that's what shooters always like to see - someone playing a zone. They knew they couldn't match up with us inside so they were giving us the outside shots."

What was the difference in the USA team between yesterday's game and today's?

"We had a lot more intensity. I didn't think we played very well last night. We talked about it, sat down as a team and decided we needed a little more intensity and everybody showed that on the court today."

On the USA's next opponent (Brazil):

"Both of us know each other after playing them last week. But we have some stuff that we're going to throw at them that they haven't seen and if we run our offense effectively and play good defense, we'll be fine."

SHAWNTINICE POLK, University of Arizona

On South Korea:

"They were a really good team, they're very aggressive and they never gave up. That's what you have to learn, in international ball nobody ever gives up, no matter how much you're up or how much you're down. It was tough for us to start, but once we got our rhythm we were in it, but they never gave up today."

Did you think you were able to get inside because of your size, being the biggest player on the court?

"A little bit because of my size, yes. I'm bigger than their whole team. But a lot had to do with my teammates, everyone getting me the ball. Everybody was working together. My teammates created a lot for me."

On the USA's next opponent (Brazil):

"It's going to be interesting. We have new looks and I'm pretty sure that they have new looks for us. It's going to be a little bit more physical in the middle, they have bigger players. But we're going to have to go out with the same mentality that we came out with today and get a win.