Red Tops White, 95-87, In Women's USA Basketball Showcase
Newark, Delaware
Lindsay Whalen scored 17 points and had 10 assists to lead the Red team to a 95-87 victory in the United States Women’s National Team Red-White intrasquad scrimmage Thursday night at the Bob Carpenter Center on the University of Delaware’s campus.
Nnemkadi Ogwumike paced the White team with a game-high 26 points.
The game was one of the last chances to impress head coach Geno Auriemma and the selection committee as they look to finalize the 12-player roster ahead of the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women.
Auriemma has said some decisions will occur after Thursday’s game and more will come after a practice and scrimmaged with the Canadian National Team in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on Sept.15.
Whalen hit a jumper to break a 76-76 tie in the fourth quarter before Kayla McBride followed by nailing a three on the next possession for a five-point lead. Whalen then buried another jumper from almost the identical spot and, after another stop on defense, Maya Moore broke through the lane for a layup and an 85-76 lead with 3:19 remaining.
The White team never led until Tina Charles scored with 1:49 left in the third quarter to put it on top 61-59. It had to rally from behind for the majority of the first half after falling behind 14-2 thanks to 12 unanswered points from the Red team.
Jantel Lavender netted six points in the game’s first five minutes as the Red team opened up its big lead. Skylar Diggins stopped the run with an open three from the left side for the White team with 4:43 remaining in the first quarter.
Charles’ bucket with 6:08 left in the half tied the game at 23-23. Lavender answered with a layup off a pick-and-roll to spark another run by the Red team to give it a 41-37 advantage at the break.
McBride and Lavender each had 12 points for the Red team while Chiney Ogwumike chipped in 10.