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Wednesday, August 15
Dixon, Baxter on final WUG roster
ESPN.com news services
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DENVER -- Maryland's Juan Dixon and Lonny Baxter are both on the USA Basketball roster as the 12-man squad for the World University Games was finalized on Wednesday.
The U.S. team will remain in Denver to train through Aug. 16 before traveling to Beijing to begin competition on Aug. 22 against Iran.
Also selected for the squad were junior college star Antwain Barbour, Seton Hall's Andre Barrett, Memphis' Earl Barron, Gonzaga's Dan Dickau, Fresno State's Melvin Ely, Temple's Lynn Greer, Virginia's Roger Mason, Chris Owens of Texas, Justin Reed of Mississippi and Tyler Smith of Penn State.
"I'm very pleased and comfortable with the 12 guys that make up this World University Games team," said USA and Penn State University head coach Jerry Dunn. "It was awfully tough to cut the two players that we did because we had an outstanding group of young men out here. When you have all good people and good players, the last two guys to get cut is a tough decision to make because they both (Maurice Baker and Tamar Slay) did an outstanding job at the training camp.
"I feel very good about the interchangeable parts that we have on the perimeter and on the front line, this is a group that will gel pretty quickly," added Dunn on the make up of the U.S. squad. "It's always a little more comforting to know who's going to fit in where, who you have to work with, and be able to start to figure out what people's roles are going to be. You have your team set in your mind and you don't have to continue to work extra guys into things, not knowing who you're going to have and not going to have on the team. I feel very good about the 12 guys that we have."
Dunn is being assisted by collegiate head coaches Rod Barnes from the University of Mississippi and Al Skinner from Boston College.
Placed into Pool B, the United States will open preliminary round play against Iran on Aug. 22, before facing South Africa on Aug. 23 and closing preliminary action against Turkey on Aug. 24. Quarterfinals are scheduled to be played Aug. 26-28 with the semifinals slated for Aug. 30. The gold medal will be contested on Aug. 31.
Owning a 40-game winning streak at the World University Games and having captured six consecutive gold medals, Team USA has been a dominating force at the WUGs since beginning play in 1965. The U.S. has earned an incredible 16 medals in as many appearances at the Games, including 12 golds, three silvers and one bronze, and lists an amazing 110-6 (.984) record at the event.
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