JEOLINAMDO, Korea – Behind 23 points from guard Frank Mason III, the USA men’s basketball team jumped all over Chile from the start in posting a 106-41 win in its third contest of the World University Games Tuesday at Muan Indoor Gymnasium in Jeolinamdo, Korea. The facility is located an hour west of Gwangju, the host city for the Games.

With the win, the USA, which is comprised mainly of University of Kansas student-athletes and staff, improved to 3-0 in Pool D play, setting up a contest of undefeated teams when it will play Serbia on Wednesday, July 8, at noon local, 10 p.m., July 7 in Kansas. Also on Tuesday, Serbia defeated Turkey 61-43 to improve to 3-0. The top two of six teams from each of the four pools will play in the medal bracket in the World University Games.

Guard Nic Moore recorded two of his four first-half three-pointers within the first three minutes of the game. Guard Wayne Selden, Jr., sandwiched another three-pointer between Moore’s two to give the Americans a 9-2 lead. On USA’s next possession, Perry Ellis made a lay-in and then Carlton Bragg, Jr., hit a jumper to pile onto the Americans’ quick start, 13-2. USA led 22-11 at the end of the first quarter. Bragg, without his mask worn from a broken nose suffered in practice, started the game for USA.

Selden ended the contest with 18 points, while forward Hunter Mickelson scored 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Moore had 15 points, all from three-point range. Ellis had nine points and eight rebounds, while forward Landen Lucas led all rebounders with 14 boards to go along with six points. All-in-all, 11 of the 12 USA players reached the scoring column for the contest. Fernando Schuler led Chile with 17 points.

“We haven’t shot the ball over here very well at all,” head coach Bill Self said. “So it was great to come out like this and Nic (Moore) got us out to a good start. Of course, Wayne (Selden, Jr.) is playing at a ridiculously high level right now. Frank (Mason) made shots. Even though it wasn’t as competitive of a game, it was good to see our guys score real points to give ourselves a big lead.”

Mason led all scorers with 23 points, which included three traditional three-point plays. He had all 11 of his first-half points in the second quarter, which included two three-point plays and another trey. USA took its largest lead of the first half, 47-19, which was the halftime score, when Mason completed his second three-point play with 1:30 before intermission.

“It was huge,” Ellis said of the start. “We haven’t been getting out to quick starts these first couple games and coach was emphasizing that. We got out tonight and knocked down some shots and played some great defense. It was great for us.”

The second half was more of the same as the USA team scored 11 of the first 13 points after intermission with Mason scoring six, Selden three and Ellis two on one of many dunks for the Americans for the contest. In the fourth quarter, the USA team went on a 16-0 run to make the score 100-36.

USA dominated the boards for the second-straight game. The Americans outrebounded Brazil 50-27 on July 5 and then Chile, 52-28, Tuesday afternoon.

UP NEXT

The USA team will return to Dongkang College Gymnasium to take on Serbia in the battle of the Pool D undefeated teams on Wednesday, July 8, at noon, which is 10 p.m. on July 7 in Kansas. The game will be televised on ESPNU and seen on the Watch ESPN app.

— KU Sports Information —

GWANGJU, Korea – For consecutive games, guard Wayne Selden, Jr. put up All-American numbers as he led USA to an 81-72 victory over Brazil in its second contest of the World University Games Sunday at Dongkang College Gymnasium in Gwangju, Korea.

With the win, USA, which is comprised mainly of University of Kansas players and staff, improved to 2-0 in Pool D play. Also on Sunday, Serbia defeated Chile (0-2), 69-43, to improve to 2-0, while Brazil fell to 1-1. Turkey is also 1-1 after its 68-61 win versus Switzerland (0-2). The top two of six teams from each of the four pools will play in the medal bracket in the World University Games.

A Kansas junior-to-be from Roxbury, Massachusetts, Selden scored team-high 19 points in Saturday’s win against Turkey and poured in a USA-best 23 points the following day against Brazil to lead all scorers – but made a point to say it wasn’t all him. Point guard Frank Mason III recorded 15 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, once again orchestrating the USA squad to victory. Forward Hunter Mickelson provided major spark off the bench in scoring 11 points and pulling down eight rebounds, while forward Jamari Traylor was his usual high-motor self. He added 10 points and his patented diving hustle plays in the win.

“My teammates found me when I was open,” Selden said. “I just knocked down shots and stayed aggressive throughout the entire game. My team really pushed me to do it.”

Both teams got off to sluggish starts as the contest was 2-1 in favor of Brazil with 6:43 in the opening quarter. Selden then scored five-straight points to give USA a 6-2 edge. Brazil would later drain back-to-back three pointers and recapture the lead at 12-10 and held on to a 13-12 advantage after one quarter.

Offense picked up in the second quarter as the USA more than doubled its first-quarter output by scoring 28 points. Down 23-19, the USA team went on a 14-0 run to go up 10 at 33-23 with 2:26 before intermission. Selden drained two threes during the run and Mason scored five points in the span. The Americans built their largest lead of the half when Perry Ellis hit a three from the right wing to go up 38-25. Ellis ended the contest with nine points and eight rebounds. Mason’s jumper with 26 seconds remaining gave USA a 40-28 lead at intermission.

“We defended well and we really rebounded,” USA head coach Bill Self said. “Brazil was +34 on the glass in its last game and today we were +23. We did a great job on the glass. We didn’t shoot the ball great again, but we made some timely shots. Primarily, the thing we did better than anything – other than Wayne playing great – was our bench was really good. Our role guys were really good.”

The action continued for both teams in the third period. Mickelson showed a lot of hustle with a dunk off a missed shot to give USA a 47-36 lead. He then grabbed an offensive rebound, making way for a Julian DeBose bucket and a 50-40 advantage. Forward Carlton Bragg, Jr. made a pair of free throws with 2:06 in the period to give USA its largest lead of the game, 57-41.

Up 59-44 heading into the fourth quarter, Brazil scored the first four points of the period with two lay-ups. Shutting down any comeback momentum, guard Lagerald Vick drained a three from the corner and Traylor hit a baseline jumper to push the lead back to 16 at 64-48. The Brazilians did not back down and cut the USA lead to eight at 64-56 with 6:30 to play. Poised to close it out, Selden hit a jumper in the lane and Mickelson scored a traditional three-point play off a feed from Mason to give USA a 69-56 lead.

“They were really big,” Mickelson said of the Brazilian team. “They had a lot of good guys and a lot of low-post people. They were really strong and they played through their bigs a lot.”

Brazil made one more run at the Americans, cutting the lead to seven at 75-68 with 57 seconds remaining. On the next possession, Mason drove the lane and, in Mason style, passed the ball to Vick in the left corner who drilled his second three-pointer of the game to give the USA a comfortable cushion and eventually the victory.

UP NEXT

After two games in two days, the USA team will take off Monday, July 6, and play Chile on Tuesday, July 7, at 2:30 p.m. local, which is 12:30 a.m. in Kansas. The contest will be played at Muan Indoor Gymnasium and will not be televised.

— KU Sports Information —

GWANGJU, Korea – Kansas men’s basketball, representing the USA National Team, gave its home country a little more to celebrate on Independence Day by defeating Turkey 66-57 in the opening round of the 2015 World University Games at Dongkang College Gymnasium in Gwangju, Korea.

Behind 19 points from Wayne Selden, Jr., the USA Team (1-0) used a 12-2 run to open the second half and overcome a 36-32 deficit en route to the victory in Pool D play. The USA Team was powered by a 10-player rotation that eventually wore the Turkey squad down.

“We didn’t play very good individually but we did defend really well the last 45 minutes as a team,” USA head coach Bill Self said. “I think that was a difference and I also think conditioning was a difference. They were so much better than us early on. From the 15-minute mark on, I felt like if we could push the pace, that eventually they would wear down. They got tired.”

Selden led all scorers, just missing a double-double with nine rebounds, which also led both teams for the game. Forward Perry Ellis scored 17 points and pulled down six rebounds, while guard Frank Mason III added 12 points and four assists. Guard Nic Moore had nine points, which included two three-pointers. Turkey (0-1) was led by Muhammed Senli who scored 18 points, including 15 in the first half before being limited due to an injury.

“We wanted to try and get out and run as much as we could,” Ellis said. “They slowed us down a little bit, but we still grinded the game out and won. That’s all that counts.”

The USA squad scored the first five points of the contest on an Ellis three and a lay-in from forward Jamari Traylor, but that did not phase the Turkey squad as they scored the next 12 points to take a 12-5 lead. Included was two of Turkey’s four three-pointers in the first period alone. Two Mason buckets cut the lead to 19-11 with just over two minutes in the opening period.

“The competition was high level against a team we’re not familiar with,” Moore said. “But we stuck it out and played all four quarters.”

Trailing 21-12 heading into the second quarter, Moore capped a 7-0 USA run by draining a three-pointer from the corner. A minute later, the USA would tie the game at 23-23 on a Hunter Mickelson follow. Turkey then made two threes to build back a six-point cushion at 29-23 with 3:55 before half. Ellis would later get a steal and basket to cut the lead to one at 33-32, yet Sertac Sanli drained a three with seven seconds to give Turkey a 36-32 edge at intermission.

After its 12-2 run to open the second half, the USA Team led 39-38 and never gave the lead back to Turkey. Selden ended the third quarter with an alley-oop dunk from Moore to give the USA Team a 54-47 lead heading into the fourth stanza. Out of the break, Selden then recorded a traditional three-point play off an offensive rebound and put back to give USA its largest lead of the game at 57-47 with 8:54 to play in the contest.

Turkey was able to cut the lead to four at 61-57 with just over four minutes left, but forward Landen Lucas followed an Ellis miss with a lay-in and Mason iced the game with one of his signature driving layups and a free throw as the Rock Chalk Chant started by the couple hundred KU faithful in attendance with just over 30 seconds remaining.

UP NEXT

The USA team will return to Dongkang College Gymnasium for its second game in as many days when it plays Brazil, a Pool D contender. Tip is set for 8:30 p.m. local which is 6:30 a.m. in Kansas. The game will be televised on ESPNU and the Watch ESPN app.

— KU Sports Information —

GWANGJU, Korea – Kansas men’s basketball, representing the USA National Team at the 2015 World University Games, ran past China 93-56 in a scrimmage game Thursday afternoon at the Seolwol Girls School Gymnasium in Gwangju, Korea.

Down 11-7 midway through the first quarter, guard Tyler Self started a USA 11-2 run by hitting a jumper followed by a Perry Ellis alley-oop from guard Evan Manning to put the Americans up 18-13. USA took a 20-16 advantage into the second quarter.

With a 26-22 lead, the USA squad went on a 10-0 run midway through the second period to build a 14-point cushion. Forward Landen Lucas scored eight of the team’s 10 points, including three dunks. The China team cut the lead back to single digits by scoring the final five points of the half giving the Americans a 36-27 lead at intermission.

“We played fast, so we looked pretty athletic,” USA coach Bill Self said following the victory. “The biggest thing is everybody got to play. We still make the game harder for us than it actually is at certain times. If we could just get to where we guard the ball and become a better rebounding team, I think we could be pretty good. We don’t have the full complement of our guys but the guys who are playing are doing a really nice job. I’m happy to be around them and happy to coach them.”

Once again, the USA Team used it athleticism to blow by the China squad as it opened the third quarter with a 12-3 stretch which included six points from forward Hunter Mickelson and four from guard Julian DeBose to give the USA a 48-31 lead.

The USA Team saved it best energy for the fourth quarter as it outscored China 36-18 in cruising to the victory. In the run the Americans had five fast-break dunks and drained four three-pointers.

Opening Ceremonies are set for Friday, July 3 and the USA delegation said the event is sold out and expect more than 40,000 people inside Gwangju Universiade Main Stadium. The Opening Ceremonies are set to being at 7 p.m., 5 p.m. in Kansas, can be seen live online at http://www.livefisu.tv/home.

The USA will begin World University Game Pool D competition when it plays Turkey on July 4 at noon, which is July 3 at 10 p.m. in Kansas. The game will be played at Dongkang Gymnasium and televised on ESPNU.

— KU Sports Information —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jamari Traylor was straight air born, putting the exclamation point on another come-from-behind win for the United States against Canada. He caught Frank Mason III’s pass in-flight and slammed it through the hoop in the final minute, showcasing the teamwork and execution needed for the Kansas men’s basketball team to represent the USA in the 2015 World University Games.

Making its last appearance in America before heading to Gwangju, Korea, Kansas eradicated a 10-point deficit for the second-straight game to defeat the Canadian National Team inside Sprint Center Friday night, 87-76.

Wayne Selden, Jr., was a stud. He led the floor with 22 points and 10 rebounds, recording what would have been his first career double-double if the game had been official. He finished 6-for-11 from the floor, and when he wasn’t hitting threes (3-for-5), he dished out three assists and made seven of his eight free throws.

Senior-to-be Perry Ellis played a major role with 18 points and narrowly missed a double-double with nine rebounds. Tuesday’s hero, Mason, was happy to play the supporting role on Friday as his 11 assists would have tied a career high. Between he and Ellis, the two combined for an impressive seven steals. His 15 points were an added – and necessary – bonus. Aside from Traylor’s celebration dunk, he came away with six points, seven boards and two steals.

Echoing what they did against Canada on Tuesday, the Americans again found themselves down by 10 points in the second quarter, by the exact same 35-25 margin. However, Kansas retooled and regrouped over halftime and came out firing at a 47 percent clip (18-for-38) in the second half, while silencing Canada to 9-of-28 shooting (32 percent) in the same span.

While KU’s shooting numbers drastically improved, it was the stats that didn’t show on the scoreboard that made the biggest impact. USA outdid Canada on the glass (47-37), in the assists column (22-15) and collected 13 steals compared to the visitors’ four.

Canada was led by guard Adika Peter-McNeilly’s 15 points along with Aaron Best and Tommy Nixon, who each hung up 10 points apiece. The trio recorded seven of Canada’s 10 three-pointers on the evening.

The Jayhawk defense was on point in the opening quarter, evidenced by a well-executed halfcourt trap by Selden and Traylor. After a Selden three-pointer and a crafty Ellis steal/Mason layup, KU rolled out an 11-4 lead.

Canada had some defensive prowess up its sleeve, using its size to clamp down on the Jayhawks in the middle and allowing its offense to close the gap. A 9-0 run suddenly shot the visitors in front, 16-13. When shot blockers clogged the lane, the U.S. responded from the perimeter. Mason launched his first three and Carlton Bragg, Jr., connected on a long two-pointer. Selden snuck to the hoop for a last-second layup, ending the first quarter with a 21-20 Canada advantage.

The same lights-out three-point shooting that built Canada’s big lead on Tuesday crept up again in the second quarter. Back-to-back treys from Jarred Ogungbemi-Jackson and Best got the Canadians out to a 29-21 lead, prompting a Bill Self timeout. Out of the pause, the visiting squad upped its lead to 35-25, while KU made just one of its 10 shots in the same stretch.

Facing its second double-digit deficit in as many games, the Americans again rose to the occasion. Guards Nic Moore, Mason and Selden attacked the basket and made every free throw they earned. A forced shot-clock violation later, Selden drained a corner three to cap an 11-0 Kansas run and take the lead. Despite a dismal 14.3 percent shooting (2-for-14) in the second quarter, Kansas had the 36-35 edge. Canada, with much better 7-for-14 second quarter, hit its sixth three-pointer to take a 40-36 lead into halftime.

The wake-up call worked. The Jayhawks made their first four baskets to start the third quarter, including a three-pointer from Moore and a one-handed statement dunk from Traylor. Canada’s stars never seemed to cool, putting up three more threes in the third, but Kansas had answers – most of which came from Selden. He continued to lead all scorers, even with Canada turning its focus directly on him. Even his defensive rebounds resulted in points as his last one of the quarter transitioned into a layup for Hunter Mickelson at the buzzer, setting up a 60-58 score to start the fourth.

The late bucket sparked Mickelson, who started the final frame with another layup, took a hard foul on a dunk attempt and swatted a Canadian shot attempt. Selden stepped back onto the scene, scoring his 20th point of the game. With seven minutes to play, Kansas took the 65-63 lead.

Kansas outran the visitors to keep them off the board for more than two minutes. A big rebound for Selden turned into an outlet pass-then-layup for Mason. Bragg hit a three-pointer and, for good measure, Selden chimed in with a put-back dunk – and zipped a pass to Bragg for a dunk. With two minutes on the clock, Kansas sailed to a 10-point margin, 81-71. With a roaring crowd, U-S-A chants and one more monster dunk from Traylor, Kansas wrapped up the 87-76 win.

The USA National Team will play China in one more exhibition contest on July 2 in Gwangju, Korea before officially opening the World University Games against Turkey on Saturday, July 4, at Dongkang Gymnasium, which is 10 p.m. (Central) on Friday, July 3, in Lawrence.

— KU Sports Information —