The USA National Team (5-0) for the World University Games (WUG), consisting mainly of the Kansas men’s basketball student-athletes and staff, will face Lithuania (4-1) in the medal round quarterfinals on Saturday, July 11, at noon local time which is 10 p.m. on July 10 in Kansas, at Dongkang College Gymnasium. The USA-Lithuania contest will be televised on ESPNU and the Watch ESPN app.
Matched on the other side of the quarterfinals bracket is Russia (5-0) and Estonia (3-1). The USA-Lithuania and Russia-Estonia winners will advance to the semifinals and the potential to win a medal, while the two losers will play in the consolation bracket. The other side of the quarterfinals includes Germany (5-0) vs. Canada (4-1) and France (5-0) vs. Brazil (4-1). Including exhibition play, the USA is 3-0 against the medal bracket foes (2-0 vs. Canada and 1-0 vs. Brazil).
Having won an all-time most 19 medals (13 gold, three silver and three bronze), the USA is looking for its first medal in the last three World University Games. USA finished ninth in the 2013 WUG and fifth in 2011. The last medal won by the American men’s basketball team was bronze in 2009. The previous USA medal was gold in 2005.
Historically, the USA is 2-1 against Lithuania in the World University Games. Lithuania won the last meeting in 2011, 76-74, and would later win the bronze medal. The USA won the first two matchups – 106-81 in 1995 and 97-88 in 1999 – with both eventually being gold for the Americans.
USA Update
Guard Wayne Selden, Jr., has led USA in scoring in three of the five games and leads the World University Games (WUG) with 19.4 points per game average. He has made a team-best 11 three-pointers, one more than guard Nic Moore who has 10. Selden is tied forward Perry Ellis for the team lead in rebounding with 6.4 boards per game. Ellis is scoring 10.6 points per contest, which is third on the team. Frank Mason III is second on the team with a 14.0 ppg, which is tied for eighth in the WUG, and leads the squad with 21 assists. His 4.2 assists per game are tied for second in the WUG. Mason also leads the team with 11 steals. Forward Hunter Mickelson is third the WUG in field goal percentage at 59.5 percent. He has a team-best four blocked shots and is averaging 9.8 points and 5.0 rebounds. Moore scores 6.6 points per contest, while guard Julian DeBose, who led USA with 18 points against Switzerland, has a 6.0 scoring average, just ahead of guard Lagerald Vick’s 5.6 ppg.
As a team, USA holds a +12.0 rebound margin and has outrebounded four of five opponents. Additionally, the USA squad is outshooting its opponents 46.4 percent to 34.3. The USA’s best quarter has been the third where is averages 23.6 points, followed by the second (22.2), fourth (20.2) and first (17.0).
About Lithuania
Lithuania finished second in Pool C, posting a 4-1 record. It opened the World University Games with a 70-67 loss to Pool C winner France and then won four straight defeating Finland (87-70), Chinese Taipei (93-37), Japan (90-76) and Australia (74-67). The winner of the Lithuania-Australia contest advanced to the medal bracket. Lithuania leads the World University Games in scoring at 86.6 points per game. The Lithuanians are giving up 69.2 ppg for a +17.4 scoring margin. Lithuania is also leading the Games in field goal percentage at 50.2 percent, outrebounding opponents 41.2 to 30.0 and rank second in the WUG with 5.0 blocked shots per game.
No. 31 Rokas Giedraitis leads Lithuania in scoring at 14.4 points. He has made a team-best 15 three-pointers. Other Lithuanians double-figure scorers include No. 27 Donatas Tarolis (12.0 ppg) and No. 10 Egidijus Mockevicius (11.0 ppg). Mockevicius lead the World University Games in field goal percentage at 60.5 percent.
What’s Ahead
Should the USA advance to the semifinals of the 2015 World University Games, it would play on Sunday, July 12 at 6:30 p.m. local, 4:30 a.m. in Kansas, at Dongkang College Gymnasium against the winner of the Russia-Estonia contest. The losers in those quarterfinals games will play July 12 at 6 p.m. local, 4 a.m. in Kansas, at Muan Indoor Gymnasium.
USA Goes Undefeated in Pool D
With its 96-57 win against Switzerland on July 9, the USA posted a 5-0 record in winning Pool D. USA opened the Games with two nine-point victories against Turkey (66-57) on July 4, and Brazil (81-72) on July 5. Following a 106-41 blowout win versus Chile on July 7, the USA team won a 66-65 nail biter against Serbia on July 8. The Americans closed out pool play with the win versus Switzerland.
How this Happened
In April 2014, the Kansas basketball team was selected by the United States International University Sports Federation (US-IUSF) to represent the United States in the World University Games. Kansas was selected as the team to represent the U.S. from the schools that expressed interest.
With more than 150 countries competing in 21 sports, the World University Games are held every two years and are governed by the International University Sports Federation. Only current university student-athletes or recent graduates, born between Jan. 1, 1990, and Dec. 31, 1997, are eligible for the 2015 Games. For Kansas’ participation, only U.S. citizens can compete and incoming freshmen and transfers qualify. The Kansas travel party, consisting of 12 competitors and 11 staff (23 total), will leave Lawrence June 28 and live in the athlete village throughout the Games.
This is the second time a college team will compete in the World University Games. In 2007, the University of Northern Iowa participated and finished ninth in Bangkok, Thailand.
Historically
The World University Games are held every other year and are organized by the International University Sports Federation (FISU). The World University Games is a multi-sport competition open to men and women who are between the ages of 17 and 24, and are or have been within the past year, a student at a college or university.
The World University Games began in 1965 in Budapest, Hungary, with the United States men’s basketball team posting a 9-0 record in winning the gold medal. The USA has won 13 gold medals with its last in 2005 and its 19 total medals are more than any other country.
— KU Sports Information —