July 9, 2009
BELGRADE, SERBIA, July 9, 2009 - Nittany Lion point-guard Talor Battle (Albany, N.Y.) continued his hot shooting as he posted 11 points and three assists on 4-of-5 from the floor (3-of-4 from three) in Team USA's 96-66 rout of Bulgaria Thursday in the quarterfinals of the 2009 World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia.
Battle, who is 11-of-17 (65%) from the floor in the last two games, was one of five US players in double-figures on the day. Quincy Pondexter (Washington) led Team USA with 15 points while Da'Sean Butler (West Virginia), James Anderson (Oklahoma State) and Lazar Hayward (Marquette) had 12 each for the United States which shot 16-of-29 (55%) from three to overwhelm a Bulgaria team that hit just 27-of-76 (35%) from the floor, made just two threes and was out-rebounded 55-40.
Team USA, which improved to 5-0 in the Games, jumped out to a 24-9 lead after the first quarter and led 46-24 at the half. Battle has now posted double-digits in four of Team USA's five games and is averaging 11.2 ppg in the tournament.
Team USA will now take on Russia (5-1) in Friday's semifinal. The Russians handed Lithuania (5-1) their first defeat of the tournament with an 82-73 victory on Thursday. In other quarterfinal action Israel (6-0) downed Germany (2-3), 66-49, and Serbia (4-1) downed Turkey (4-1), 68-46. Israel will face Serbia in Friday's other semifinal game. A victory by the host Serbians would set up a third game with Team USA in the final. The US downed Serbia, 68-66, on Tuesday but lost to the Serbians, 98-82, in exhibition action.
-NITTANY LIONS-