Robinson, USA Slide Past Poland

July 5, 2009

BELGRADE, Serbia -- Team USA took its fourth win in as many games at the World University Games with its 75-67 defeat of Poland (2-2) in the second round of pool play Sunday.

Oklahoma's Danielle Robinson had a game-high six assists after taking the start at point guard in the U.S.'s most competitive game so far in the tournament.

The U.S. used an 11-0 run lasting from the end of the first half through the first two minutes of the third period to extend its lead. Team USA led by just one point, 18-17, after the first quarter, but took a 37-32 halftime advantage.

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Box Score

"I thought the second half was great. We came out, jumped on them, got that 10-point cushion and really didn't relinquish it much the whole second half," USA head coach Charli Turner Thorne said. "Poland's a good team. They're coached well, they played us well. They played their zone a lot differently than we had seen it on tape. They made adjustments for our inside game and made us beat them from the outside.”

Despite shooting 4-of-8 from 3-point range in the first quarter, the USA was a dismal 1-of-11 from inside the arc in the first 10 minutes. Poland used its 50.0 shooting from the field (8-16 FGs) and a 13-7 rebounding advantage to remain within one point in the first period.

The USA reached its biggest lead of the game, 48-32, in the third, but Poland strung together a 6-2 run to cut the gap to seven, 55-48.

Poland never relented and came within three points with a basket at 8:28 that brought the score to 57-54, but the USA responded to each attack.

The U.S. squad will face Preliminary Group D's No. 1 seed Czech Republic Tuesday.