USA Women's national team

[CKR13]

Agree if healthy, but a few of these players have injury concerns...

I think you're right. Della Donne's back is a problem and she may sit this one out. Good thing the pool has depth lead by Breanna Stewart.

[carlo]

Roster trimmed to 13 players for today's exhib game with Canada and Europe tour:

Seimone Augustus
Sue Bird
Tina Charles
Skylar Diggins
Stefanie Dolson
Jantel Lavender
Kayla McBride
Angel McCoughtry
Maya Moore
Nneka Ogwumike
Odyssey Sims
Breanna Stewart
Lindsay Whalen

A bit surprising, Danielle Robinson and Chiney Ogwumike (who had good stats in the intrasquad game) have been cut.
Of course this isn't the definitive roster yet, as seven players from WNBA final are still missing .

http://www.usab.com/news-events/news/2014/09/usa-basketball-womens-national-team-roster-set-for-exhibition-versus-canada.aspx

[CKR13]

Team USA won against Canada tonight 76-51. They fly to France as the next destination to participate in a mini tournament involving Australia, China and France.

[carlo]

It looks like Sylvia Fowles is definitely out of the team (injury).

This reduces the current roster to 19 players:

Seimone Augustus SG 1.83 m 1984
Sue Bird PG 1.75 1980
DeWanna Bonner F 1.93 1987
Tina Charles C 1.93 1988
Elena Delle Donne F 1.96 1989
Skylar Diggins G 1.75 1990
Stefanie Dolson C 1.96 1992
Candice Dupree F/G 1.88 1984
Brittney Griner C 2.03 1990
Jantel Lavender C 1.93 1988
Kayla McBride G/F 1.80 1992
Angel McCoughtry G/F 1.85 1986
Maya Moore F/G 1.83 1989
Nneka Ogwumike F 1.88 1990
Odyssey Sims G 1.73 1992
Breanna Stewart F 1.93 1994
Diana Taurasi G 1.83 1982
Courtney Vandersloot PG 1.73 1989
Lindsay Whalen PG 1.75 1982

Delle Donne (back issues) and Griner (eye injury) are questionable as well.

Not a positive scenario in terms of available size players.

[JGX]

Taurasi and Dupree join the team in Paris, while Delle Donne is out and Griner is being evaluated by doctors. Vandersloot and Bonner appear to be out of the picture as well.

http://www.usab.com/news-events/news/2014/09/candice-dupree-and-diana-taurasi-added-to-2014-usa-finalists-roster.aspx

[carlo]

USA team roster is therefore made by 15 players:

-13 who made the cut (Augustus, Bird, Charles, Diggins, Dolson, Lavender, McBride, McCoughtry, Moore, N Ogwumike, Sims, Stewart and Whalen)
-2 WNBA finalists (Dupree and Taurasi) who should join the team in Paris within today

The only other candidate from the WNBA finalists could be Britt Griner, who is still being evaluated and "may join the team at a later date".

The current roster will be "pared to 12 by Sept 26".

For sure after next days friendlies we'll know more.

Adding (healthy) Griner would be a big boost for a team otherwise lacking a bit of size inside.

[carlo]

Coach Auriemma concerned about the lack of experienced big players, after the friendly won with Australia.

http://www.usab.com/news-events/news/2014/09/additional-quotes-usa-72-australia-66.aspx

USA lost the rebounds battle to Australia (with Cambage just playing 9'), 52-43.

[carlo]

The surprising defeat of USA vs France in Paris fortunately came at a stage that is worth nothing, except from assessing strengths and weaknesses of the teams that will play at WC.

Besides the lack of experienced bigs, what's worrying in this USA team are the defensive lapses (or intensity for a whole game, see 2nd half vs China and France) and the poor performance (especially in scoring) of its two top players, Maya Moore and Diana Taurasi.

Hopefully there is still some time for the coaching staff to make adjustments in the team play. And it would be better to finally cut the team to 12 players and concentrate on the available roster (maybe Diggins, McBride, Dolson and Lavender who dnp today are the last cuts ?)

[carlo]

US roster down to 13, Diggins, Dolson and McBride out.
Griner is in but medical clearance is still pending for her joining the team, afaik.

http://www.usab.com/news-events/news/2014/09/womens-national-team-roster-finalists.aspx

[carlo]

Quoting Head coach Auriemma, the roster should be down to 12 for the game with Czech Rep on Sept 23.

[carlo]

Latest news and interesting summary on US-team difficult road to Turkey here.

[CKR13]

World Cup Roster finalized: http://www.usab.com/news-events/news...finalized.aspx

Sue Bird
Diana Taurasi
Tina Charles
Candice Dupree
Angel McCoughtry
Maya Moore
Lindsay Whalen
Seimone Augustus
Brittney Griner
Nnemkadi Ogwumike
Odyssey Sims
Breanna Sewart

[carlo]

Hoping Griner has fully recovered, otherwise the frontcourt is even weaker.

[carlo]

Chiney Ogwumike, a member of the US training roster, made yesterday a winning debut with Italian League champ Famila Schio. A double-doubles addicted, Chiney led her new club with 22 pts and 16 reb.

[carlo]

Headcoach Geno Auriemma will have his staff back for the 2016 Olympics.

Dawn Staley (South Carolina), Doug Bruno (DePaul) and Cheryl Reeve (Minnesota) will serve again as his assistant coaches.