Carson Nets 15 Points as USA Wins Again, 81-68
Jun 20 | Women's Basketball
June 19, 2007- The 2007 USA Basketball Women's U21 World Championship Team improved to 2-0 in exhibition play with an 81-68 victory over France on Tuesday night in Antibes, France. Rutgers rising senior Essence Carson (Paterson, N.J.) scored a game-high 15 points along with Jolene Anderson from Wisconsin.
Carson, earning her second straight start, shot 6-of-10 from the floor with four rebounds and a pair of steals. Rising junior Kia Vaughn (Bronx, N.Y.) collected her first start this season in international play, grabbing five rebounds in 17 minutes.
The U.S., which trailed 57-55 heading into the fourth quarter, received a combined 57 points from four different players on the night.
The USA and French U21 squads will meet once more, at 7:00 p.m. (1:00 p.m. EDT) on June 21 in La Garde, France. The Americans will remain in Antibes and train through June 25 before traveling to Moscow for the U21 Worlds.
The game, which saw the team combine for 35 fouls, was very physical and fast paced. France, the bronze medalists behind Russia (gold) and Hungary (silver) at the 2006 FIBA European U20 Championship, did not allow the U.S. breathing room on any possession.
France had the edge in the the first (18-16) and third (16-14) quarters, while the USA collected the second (25-23) as the game went down to the final 10-minute period.
"France definitely came out with their A-plus game today," said Carson. "We couldn't get it together the first three quarters. They came out very physical, that's one thing. They came out a little bit more physical than what we expected so it took us a little while to adjust."
Carson added, "It was about making smart passes and playing together and realizing that in order for the USA to win, we're going to have to play some USA defense. That's what pretty much got us over the hump in the fourth quarter."
