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Despite playing a hard-fought Pan American Games tournament, the United States couldn’t close things out and fell to Brazil in Saturday’s gold medal game 79-73.
Cold shooting was the name of the game for the young Team USA, as they shot a combined 42.2 percent in all five games. Their best shooting effort was in the group stage, a 56 percent performance in a 103-55 win against newcomers the U.S. Virgin Islands, and they shot over 40 percent just one other time.
Team USA also relied heavily on getting to the free throw line throughout the tournament, which kept them in many games when their field-goal shooting failed them.
Valiant effort! Congratulations to @monyenwere_ & @usabasketball on earning the silver medal at the 2019 Pan American Games. #GoBruins | #USABWPAG | #Lima2019 pic.twitter.com/dXunox9iNZ
— UCLA W. Basketball (@UCLAWBB) August 11, 2019
The gold medal game wasn’t the United States’ first difficult test, as they almost dropped their first group stage game to Argentina and the semifinal to eventual bronze medal winner Puerto Rico. But Brazil’s hot shooting proved too much to overcome.
After opening the first quarter with a 22-20 lead on 54 percent shooting, the United States couldn’t maintain that output the rest of the way, finishing at 34 percent. Conversely, Brazil maintained its 53 percent shooting to open the game, finishing at 52 percent.
Beatrice Mompremier (Miami) led the United States in the gold medal game with 16 points and 12 rebounds, her second double-double of the tournament. Chennedy Carter (Texas A&M) also had 16 points, while Tyasha Harris (South Carolina) added 14 points, 5 assists and 4 steals.
Tough battle in the title game, but @TyHarris_52 and @usabasketball finish with SILVER at #Lima2019! pic.twitter.com/aw5m37BpUc
— GamecockWBB (@GamecockWBB) August 11, 2019
Carter and Mompremier stood out all week, scoring in double figures in four of the five games. Mompremier also averaged 7.6 rebounds per game, second only to the 7.8 per game from Michaela Onyenwere (UCLA).
From beyond the arc, Team USA had none better than Kathleen Doyle (Iowa), who shot 4-of-6, and Taylor Mikesell (Maryland), always prolific from that distance, who went 7-of-17.
Looking ahead
Want to keep following these players during the 2019-2020 NCAA season? Find their complete college affiliations here. Also check out the college programs of Team USA head coach Suzy Merchant (Michigan State) and assistant coaches Felisha Legette-Jack (Buffalo) and Vic Schaefer (Mississippi State).
With some of these teams set to clash this season, whether in the preseason or in conference play, keep an eye out for some Team USA reunions!