University of Tennessee Athletics
Jackson, Spear Help USA Crush Cuba, 106-44
July 05, 2023 | Women's Basketball
LEÓN, Mexico – Tennessee's Rickea Jackson and Jewel Spear each scored in double figures, helping the USA get back on the winning track with a runaway 106-44 victory over Cuba on Wednesday afternoon at the 2023 FIBA AmeriCup.
After falling to Brazil on Tuesday at Domo de la Feria, the American squad bounced back in strong fashion and closed out Group A play in second place with a 3-1 record. The USA will face the third-place team from Group B, Colombia, at 2:10 p.m. ET on Friday.
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In Wednesday's triumph over Cuba, Jackson fired in 16 points, grabbed six rebounds and added two assists and a steal in 21 minutes. Spear, meanwhile, finished with 10 points and three assists in 18 minutes, committing no turnovers for the third time in four outings at the tournament.
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The Lady Vol duo helped USA tally 46.3 percent marksmanship from the field while limiting Cuba to only 24.3 percent. They also contributed to a whopping 75-35 advantage in rebounds, with 41 of the American points coming via second chances and 52 of them from within the paint. Spear also contributed to a 71-point barrage of points from reserves, compared to 21 for the opposition.
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The USA burst out to a 27-14 lead in the opening stanza. A five-point scoring spree by Spear expanded a 16-11 advantage to a 21-11 gap with 1:21 to go. Spear drained a three on the left wing on an assist from Jackson and then converted a layup in transition. Jackson followed suit with a four-point run of her own, netting a rebound bucket and then getting a layup to end the period.
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If the Americans weakened Cuba's spirit in the first period, they effectively extinguished it in the second quarter, barreling to a 33-4 advantage to run the score to 60-18 at the intermission. Jackson tossed in six more points in the frame and Spear added another to bump their first half production to 12 and seven points on 5-of-8 and 3-of-4 shooting, respectively. Jackson also pocketed four rebounds and a pair of assists during the opening 20 minutes.
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The Americans kept the momentum surging during the third quarter, stretching their lead to 83-28 after racking up a 23-10 point differential in the period. Jackson was good for four more points, and Spear added another three-pointer and her third assist of the game for USA's final points of the period.
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With the outcome well in hand, the USA's reserves closed out the final frame and out-pointed the Cubans, 23-16, to account for the final 62-point margin of victory.
After falling to Brazil on Tuesday at Domo de la Feria, the American squad bounced back in strong fashion and closed out Group A play in second place with a 3-1 record. The USA will face the third-place team from Group B, Colombia, at 2:10 p.m. ET on Friday.
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In Wednesday's triumph over Cuba, Jackson fired in 16 points, grabbed six rebounds and added two assists and a steal in 21 minutes. Spear, meanwhile, finished with 10 points and three assists in 18 minutes, committing no turnovers for the third time in four outings at the tournament.
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The Lady Vol duo helped USA tally 46.3 percent marksmanship from the field while limiting Cuba to only 24.3 percent. They also contributed to a whopping 75-35 advantage in rebounds, with 41 of the American points coming via second chances and 52 of them from within the paint. Spear also contributed to a 71-point barrage of points from reserves, compared to 21 for the opposition.
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The USA burst out to a 27-14 lead in the opening stanza. A five-point scoring spree by Spear expanded a 16-11 advantage to a 21-11 gap with 1:21 to go. Spear drained a three on the left wing on an assist from Jackson and then converted a layup in transition. Jackson followed suit with a four-point run of her own, netting a rebound bucket and then getting a layup to end the period.
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If the Americans weakened Cuba's spirit in the first period, they effectively extinguished it in the second quarter, barreling to a 33-4 advantage to run the score to 60-18 at the intermission. Jackson tossed in six more points in the frame and Spear added another to bump their first half production to 12 and seven points on 5-of-8 and 3-of-4 shooting, respectively. Jackson also pocketed four rebounds and a pair of assists during the opening 20 minutes.
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The Americans kept the momentum surging during the third quarter, stretching their lead to 83-28 after racking up a 23-10 point differential in the period. Jackson was good for four more points, and Spear added another three-pointer and her third assist of the game for USA's final points of the period.
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With the outcome well in hand, the USA's reserves closed out the final frame and out-pointed the Cubans, 23-16, to account for the final 62-point margin of victory.
Players Mentioned
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