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WBK: Lavender's 14 Points Helps USA WUG Team to Gold Medal
Courtesy: OhioStateBuckeyes.com
Release: 07/11/2009



A monster 28-point, 18-rebound performance from Tina Charles (Connecticut / Jamaica, N.Y.) helped propel the 2009 USA Women's World University Games Team (7-0) past a determined Russia (6-1) 83-64 and on to an undefeated gold medal at the 2009 World University Games on Saturday afternoon in Belgrade, Serbia.

"I'm really proud of this team," said USA and Arizona State University head coach Charli Turner Thorne. "They stayed tough, kept working hard. These are some of the best college players in the country, and they showed it tonight. That Russian team has been playing together for years. I coached against them two years ago (at the 2007 FIBA U21 World Championship). For these young ladies to come together in a couple of weeks, be so responsive to what we asked them to do as coaches, to give everything they have for their country, that was awesome."

Also today, Australia (5-2) defeated Czech Republic (4-3) 88-77 to take home the bronze medal.

The USA dominated the glass, outrebounding Russia 52-32 and scoring 22 second-chance points to Russia's four. Jantel Lavender (Ohio State / Cleveland, Ohio) added 14 points, and Kayla Pedersen (Stanford / Fountain Hills, Ariz.) contributed 11 points and nine rebounds.

WBK: Lavender's 14 Points Helps USA WUG Team to Gold Medal - The Ohio State Buckeyes Official Athletics Site - OhioStateBuckeyes.com