Denmon Headed To China With Team USA Video

Aug. 4, 2011

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Missouri senior guard Marcus Denmon was named to the 12-member Team USA World University Games roster late Wednesday evening. Denmon advanced through two series of roster cuts and will represent the United States in China Aug. 8-22.

A native of Kansas City, Mo., Denmon is coming off a career year in which he earned first team All-Big 12 recognition. The Hogan Prep High School product averaged 16.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game. He led the Tigers in scoring, 3-point field goals (82) and three-point field goal percentage (.448), while ranking among the top 10 of the Big 12 in scoring (7th), field goal percentage (5th), steals (3rd), 3-point percentage (2nd) and 3-point makes per game (5th). Overall Denmon started 33-of-34 games and reached double figures in 30 contests, topping 20 points 12 times. He also shot 50 percent from the floor for the year, the highest for a Missouri guard since Rickey Paulding in 2001-02.

"It's a great feeling and it's an accomplishment I am proud of," Denmon said. "Like I said, my mindset was just to come out here and work hard. I couldn't really control anything else, so I just worried about the factors I could control. It's an honor to represent Team USA in China. It's something every basketball player has dreamed of and I look forward to representing the University of Missouri, Kansas City, Mo., and the United States in these World Games."

Denmon was one of seven guards selected to the club, including a former Missouri foe, John Jenkins, who played at Vanderbilt the last two years.

"I think your strengths are going to come out in competition, and we have some very good players," said USA and Purdue University head mentor Matt Painter, who previously assisted the 2009 USA U19 World Championship Team to a gold medal. "I think we have some good point-guard play, some good, athletic wings that can shoot the basketball and then we have some good interior strength. So, I think we have balance. We do have some interchangeable parts, some guys at the three and four positions that can swing either way. We can play smaller and we can play bigger. It will depend on who we are playing against. I do think we can play a couple of different ways, and that's always a positive."

Cuonzo Martin of the University of Tennessee and Brad Stevens of Butler University are serving as assistant coaches for the 2011 USA Men's World University Games Team.

Training camp continues for the team members through, Aug. 7, with two practices each day at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, and the team will depart for China on Aug. 8.

The USA will play an exhibition contest against New Century, a Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) professional team, in Huizho, China, on Aug. 11, before opening World University Games play on Aug. 13.

"It's been a great experience, one that I will take a lot from," Denmon said. "We have great coaches and great teammates and our team has grown together. That's the big part of playing in a new environment, how quickly can you become a team. That's already taking place."

In all, 24 countries will compete in the international competition. The USA has been slotted into Pool D, along with Finland, Hungary, Israel, Mexico and South Korea. The red, white and blue will open play against Mexico at 6 p.m. on Aug. 13 (all times listed are China Standard Time, which is +13 hours from Central Time) and will then play Hungary at 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 14; South Korea at 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 15; Finland at 6 p.m. on Aug. 17; and Israel at 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 18.

Following the preliminary round, the top two placed teams from each pool will advance to the medal quarterfinals, which will be contested on Aug. 20. The semifinals are scheduled for Aug. 21, and the finals will be played on Aug. 22.

2011 Team USA World University Games Roster