Team USA stunned by Aussies, DNP for Haws

Team USA suffered a damaging setback at the World University Games on Thursday, falling 93-84 to Australia in a game that saw BYU's Tyler Haws fail to register any playing time.

The defeat was the first for the U.S. prior to the WUG quarterfinals/knockout phase since 1981, when USA lost to Canada in its fourth preliminary round game, only to bounce back and win out to capture the gold medal. Thursday's loss also occurred in the fourth preliminary-round game for Team USA, following three victories.

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The upset loss drops the United States into a second-place tie with the Aussies in Group C, turning Team USA's Friday group finale with Canada into a must-win game, in a game where a mere win may not be enough to advance to the quarterfinals.

Based on established point-differential tie-breakers, and assuming an Australian win over the United Arab Emirates on Friday, the U.S. must beat Canada by 10 or more points to ensure passage to the quarterfinals as group winners; such a U.S. win on Friday would also eliminate Canada from medal contention and send it to the classification round (determining 9th to 24th place).

An American win by exactly nine points could also move the U.S. into the quarterfinals, but placement among USA, Canada and Australia would be dependent on the final score of Australia's group-play finale with UAE--a country both the U.S. and Canada defeated by 94 points.

A USA win over Canada by eight points or fewer, or a loss outright, would send the U.S. into the classification round, eliminating the States from medal contention.

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In Thursday's game, the U.S. squandered a ten-point lead it had earned late in the third quarter; a 23-6 Aussie run gave the underdogs a commanding lead they would not relinquish, as they kept Team USA at bay until securing a nine-point win.

For the first time in this tournament, Haws did not play, on a day that the U.S. guards and wings combined to shoot 10-for-26 (38.5%) on two-point field-goal attempts. Haws, an traditionally reliable and eager mid-range shooter, has struggled with his shot this week, but had shot only nine times over three games, going 2-for-9, including a 2-for-6 performance inside from the arc. Today, head coach Bob McKillop opted not to roll the dice on Haws heating up, choosing instead to keep him and New Mexico center Alex Kirk bench-bound for the game's entirety.

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Tomorrow's game with Canada can be seen live on ESPNU at 3:00 a.m. MT. The Canadian team is loaded with American college talent, including Gonzaga's Kevin Pangos, Baylor product Brady Heslip, Stanford's Dwight Powell, Iowa State's Melvin Ejim, Kentucky's Kyle Wiltjer, and Indiana State's Manny Arop, a former Zag. Canada previously defeated Australia 92-83.

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Photo: Courtesy USA Basketball

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