CANDACE PARKER RETURNS FROM FIFA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Sept. 27, 2006

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - University of Tennessee Lady Vol sophomore basketball star Candace Parker returned Monday from a three-week journey to Brazil with the United States Women's Basketball Team. Parker led the red, white and blue to an 8-1 record and a bronze medal.

"This was such an amazing and eye-opening experience," Parker said. "I am grateful to have had the opportunity to play at the international level with and against some of the best women's basketball players in the world."

Parker led Team USA in scoring three times, rebounding three times and in blocks seven times in nine games. She finished the tournament ranked third on the team in scoring (115 points, 12.7 ppg), second in rebounding (55 rebounds, 6.1 rpg) and she established a new American record for blocks in a tournament (14).

The United States dominated the statistics, ranking first in ten different categories, including scoring offense (86.0 ppg), scoring defense (58.8 ppg), scoring margin (+27.2), field goal percentage defense (.327), three-point field goal percentages (.404), rebounding offense (42.0 rpg), rebounding margin (+13.2), assists (140), assists per game (15.6 apg), and defensive rebounds (30.7 rpg).

Individually five different Americans ranked among the top-ten in nine different categories. Candace Parker ranked third in field goal percentage, connecting on 42 of 72 attempts. She stood tied for second in blocks (14) and eighth in defensive rebounds (5.0 drpg). Sue Bird ranked first in assists (41), second in assists per contest (4.56 apg), tied for first in three-point field goal percentage (.500), and second in assist/turnover ration (2.56). Tamika Catchings tied for fifth in steals (2.0 spg) and tenth in defensive rebounds (4.89 drpg). Diana Taurasi ranked tied for first in three-point field goal percentage (.500), first in three-point field goals made (25), second in treys per game (2.78). Tina Thompson was sixth in three-point field goal percentage (.464).

Parker was joined on the 2006 edition of Team USA by two former Lady Vols, Tamika Catchings and Michelle Snow. The trio combined for 203 of America's 774 points and 150 of the squad's 378 rebounds.

Since competition of women's basketball teams at the international level began in 1953, ten different Lady Vols have competed on Team USA, combining for four gold, one silver and siz bronze medals. The Tennessee representatives include Catchings (2002, gold; 2006, bronze), Daedra Charles (1994, bronze), Dena Head (1994, bronze), Chamique Holdsclaw (1998, gold), Nikki McCray (1998, gold), Carla McGhee (1994, bronze), Cindy Noble (1983, silver), Parker (2006, bronze), Snow (2006, bronze) and Holly Warlick, (1979, gold). Lady Vol head coach Pat Summitt played for the US Team in 1974.

PARKER'S TEAM USA STATISTICS FROM THE 2006 FIFA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
OPPONENT	FGM	FGA	PCT.	3FM	3FA	PCT.	FTM	FTA	PCT.	OFF	DEF	TOT-AVG	PF-DQ	TP-AVG	A	TO	BLK	S	MIN-AVG
CHINA	4	5	.800	0	0	-	4	5	.800	1	9	10-10.0	2-0	12-12.0	3	0	2	0	18-18.0
NIGERIA	2	5	.400	0	0	-	4	8	.500	0	4	4-7.0	2-0	8-10.0	0	0	1	0	15-16.5
RUSSIA	6	11	.545	0	0	-	5	9	.556	2	1	3-5.6	2-0	17-12.3	1	2	2	2	18-17.0
CUBA	6	8	.750	0	0	-	4	4	1.00	1	8	9-6.5	0-0	16-13.3	2	3	2	0	19-17.5
FRANCE	2	4	.500	0	0	-	3	4	.750	0	4	4-6.0	0-0	7-12.0	0	2	2	2	19-17.8
CZECH REPUBLIC	5	10	.500	0	0	-	4	6	.667	2	3	5-5.8	1-0	14-12.3	0	2	1	2	17-17.7
LITHUANIA	7	11	.636	0	0	-	4	5	.800	2	4	6-5.8	1-0	18-13.1	1	3	2	0	22-18.3
RUSSIA	6	11	.545	0	0	-	1	3	.333	1	7	8-6.1	3-0	13-13.1	3	3	2	0	31-19.9
BRAZIL	4	7	.571	0	0	-	2	3	.667	1	5	6-6.1	2-0	10-12.7	1	1	0	2	14-19.2
TOTALS	42	72	.583	0	0	-	31	47	.660	10	45	55-6.1	13-0	115-12.7	11	16	14	8	173-19.2

University of Tennessee Athletics

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