Additional Quotes >> USA 93, Canada 73

- Game Story - Box Score

USA Head Coach Jamie Dixon, University of Pittsburgh

Was it good to see the team shoot the ball so well tonight?
Yeah it was good to see us shoot the ball well. I thought that was one of out strengths but we haven't really shot it great and we did tonight. I don't know what it is, but we shot it well against them in our scrimmage too. But it was good, that's our strength, that's what we do. I thought we passed it well to get those open shots and we took good shots and that's all part of it. Take good shots, you shoot a higher percentage and you get a rhythm and you feel good and that's what we did.

It still seems like your defense is your bread and butter because it's there and you've been able to keep shooting percentage low.
Yeah percentages are low but it seems to me we could be doing a better job. you know you're never satisfied with the defense.we should be able to a better job of keeping the ball out of the paint and containing penetration but that something we've got to really focus on. This next game is going to be a complete different type of team and they'll throw three big men at us and we've got to be able to contain all three of them.

Two games to go, you have to like the focus you team shown today.
It was good. We didn't play well in our last game, that's what we thought and that may have been understandable as it was our sixth game and we had our spot (into the quarterfinals) clinched. I thought today we played with a real sense of focus and urgency, especially offensively I though we were unselfish. Defensively we could have got some more stops. We got up early and that was a big part of it. We were up 20 for most of the game, But I think that's an opportunity to show what we can do defensively and improve in some of the facets of the defensive end.

How nice was it to get your shooting stroke going today?
Yeah it felt very good. I was kind of struggling with my shooting the past few games so it felt good to make some shots and help the team .

Could you that you were going to have a good shooting night?
I could tell in warm up before the game, it felt good, just my stroke and I knew I could carry it over to the game and I was very confident out there.

This team has won doing different things. Today it seemed like it was the 3-point shooting.
That's our strength, we can do so many things every night. You never know who's going to be our leading scorer or what thing is going to be dominant during the game. That's one of our strengths, we're versatile.

What do you know about your next opponent Croatia?
Croatia is a good team, they've got a lot of size and they can shoot it really well so it should be a lot of fun.

The tam is off to a great start and is 7-0, how's this while experience been?
Well we're 7-0 but our goal is to win the gold medal so if we don't win the next two games being 7-0 won't matter. We just have to focus on the best game

GORDON HAYWARD (Butler / Brownsburg, Ind.)

How nice was it to get your shooting stroke going today?
It was great, glad to have it back. We went and shot this morning and that was really good for us. I'm just glad to get the win.

This team has won different ways, and today it seemed like the team's 3-point shooting really killed them.
Yeah, maybe that day off was what we needed, it helped us get out legs back a little bit and it helped get us to refocus after a tough game versus Lithuania. We really wanted to come out here and make a statement and show we're ready for the semis.

Rebounding as been a focus for this team
We've said that the whole tournament, just go in there and play hard and do your best and rebound. No matter if your stroke is going or not you can always go out there and rebound.

Have you had a chance to see Croatia play?
Yeah, there a great team. We scrimmaged them earlier (when the team just arrived) and maybe they didn't show what they can really do, so its going to be a great game. They're really playing well and we're looking forward to the challenge.

ARNETT MOULTRIE (UTEP / Memphis, Tenn.)

You had 11 rebounds tonight, talk about that.
I hadn't had a breakout game yet so my focus was on having one before we ended the tournament. They weren't really boxing out because they were crashing the boards so I was able to go to the boards.

Do you like where the team is right now?
Yeah, we're still humble and we're still playing together, playing as a team and my main focus is on winning the gold medal.

What will it take to beat Croatia.
Just being more physical than them; being more aggressive than them; playing harder than them.

You've got to keep your body on them, play good solid defense, because they're really good. They can shoot, they can play on the perimeter, they can play inside too.

You rebounded really well in the game, we're you focusing on that?
Rebounding was my focal point, that's my role on this team. We're a good team and we each have a role and rebounding is mine and I'm trying to focus on it.

Was it rewarding to you to get 11 rebounds tonight?
No, it's not rewarding because I want to have a game like that every game. If I get double-digit rebounding in our next two games, then I feel satisfied when we go.