Fennelly, United States Advance To Gold Medal Game

Photo Courtesy: Stephen Weidley

SHENZHEN, China - Iowa State head coach Bill Fennelly has won three gold medals with USA Basketball, but never as a head coach. That could change on Sunday after the United States advanced to the gold medal game with a 79-67 win over Australia at the World University Games. The U.S.A will face Taiwan, which defeated Sweden 71-70 in overtime in the other semifinal, Sunday at 7:30 a.m. (CST) in the championship contest.

The United States held just a three-point lead (20-17) at the end of the first quarter but increased that to four (31-27) at the half. The team led by seven after three quarters before opening the lead up to 15 midway through the final stanza.

"We played great," Fennelly said. "Australia was an outstanding team, a big, physical team. Our team played the way a USA Basketball team should play in a semifinal. It was a huge team effort and it's exciting for this team to know we have the chance to play for a gold medal. They had to earn it and that's the way it should be."

The United States (5-0) was led by Delaware's Elena Delle Donne, who posted a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Notre Dame's Skylar Diggins added 17 points.

The United States next foe, Taiwan, will provide a different challenge than Australia, but Fennelly is looking forward to the challenge.

"We are going to go from the biggest, strongest team we've seen to the shortest, quickest team we've seen," Fennelly said. "It will be an interesting game and we have one day to prepare. There are only two teams that have a chance to win a gold medal, and we're one of them."

Fennelly previously won gold at the 2009 FIBA U19 World Championships, the 2008 FIBA Americas U18 Championships and the 1994 U.S. Olympic Festival.