July 3, 2007-The USA Basketball U21 World Championship Team (4-0) clinched the top spot in Group B after defeating Spain, 81-62 on Tuesday afternoon in Moscow.  Rutgers rising senior Essence Carson (Paterson, N.J.) finished with 10 points for Team USA, grabbing a pair of rebounds and adding an assist and steal.  Rutgers center Kia Vaughn (Bronx, N.Y.) hauled in six boards to go along with six points.  

The USA will conclude preliminary round play on July 4 with an 11:15 a.m. (3:15 a.m. EDT) tip against Japan. Today's win assured the U.S. the top spot in Group B for quarterfinals action, where on July 6 the red, white and blue will go up against the fourth placed finisher from Group A. The semifinals will be held on July 7 and the finals are scheduled for July 8.

After a sluggish start from both sides, Carsonmade the second of two free throws at the 7:57 mark for the game's first point. The young Americans, putting pressure on its opponent, held Spain scoreless for the first 4:36 of the contest and allowed the Spaniards their fourth and final field goal of the quarter at 1:27. The USA pushed ahead 15-9 at that point and strung together a 9-0 run to close the quarter with a 24-9 lead.

The defense forced Spain into several turnovers and bad shots in the second as the Americans closed out the quarter on a charge, receiving points from four different players in an 11-2 run and at halftime the lead was 20 (44-22).

In what was an all-around first half effort, eight of the USA's players scored, including six with no less than five points apiece. The U.S. also already held a commanding lead on the glass, 28-11 and forced Spain into nine turnovers.

The U.S. out-rebounded Spain 46-26, including grabbing 23 on the offensive end.