Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic • August 2-9, 2003

Capturing the women's basketball shiny silver hardware at the 2003 Pan American Games was a bright-eyed USA team that began training only two weeks prior to the event. It was a team made up young college players who faced more powerful and experienced teams from Cuba and Brazil, both composed of former Olympians.

Considering all those factors, the USA's impressive 5-2 record and capturing of the silver medal was a remarkable journey. Several USA team and individual record-breaking performances will go into the U.S. Pan Am history book.

The USA's silver medal showing was a total team effort. Featuring five different players who finished as the team's top scorer in the USA's seven games, the United States boasted of eight players who finished scoring between 11.3 points and 5.0 points a game. Brunson finished the competition as the USA's leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 11.3 points and 5.6 rebounds a game, while shooting a stellar 57.1 percent from the field. The USA's balanced scoring attack was also assisted by Carey, who scored 9.6 ppg. on 46.4 percent shooting from 3-point, Benningfield added 9.1 ppg., Koehn contributed 8.9 ppg., and Strother tossed in 7.9 ppg.

The USA opened Pan American Games play against the familiar and the favorite Cuban team on Aug. 2. The USA, which just prior to the start of the Pan Ams had lost three exhibition games to the Cuban squad in Havana, enjoyed 46-32 lead over defending Pan American Games champs at halftime. But after regrouping at the intermission, Cuba outscored the USA 24-7 in the third quarter and went on to post an 84-62 win. Strother and Koehn each scored 11 points to lead the American squad.

On Aug. 3 the U.S. started what would become a five game win streak when it slipped past Canada 56-53 thanks to Brunson's double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds and Loree Moore's game-saving steal with eight seconds left. Powered by a surge in defensive intensity and 20 points on record-setting 6-for-6 shooting from 3-point by Carey, the USA gave its medal hopes a vital boost with a 77-64 upset of previous undefeated Brazil. The following evening, Aug. 5, the U.S. assured itself a medal round berth when it trounced Argentina 93-78. Five Americans scored in double figures in the win, led by Brunson and Moore with 12 each, followed by Carey, Hodges and Koehn, who scored 11 apiece. The North Americans completed their pool play by running away with a 109-54 win over host Dominican Republic. Koehn tied Carey's USA single game record for 3-pointers made in the first half alone, notching three in the first quarter and adding three more in quarter two. Koehn led all scorers with 23 points, followed by Benningfield's 21, while Strother and Tillis ended the game with 12 points apiece.

Key scoring by Nicole Powell, perfect 18-for-18 free throw shooting and gritty crunch-time defense kept the USA's gold medal dream alive as the U.S. earned a 75-69 semifinals overtime victory over Brazil on Aug. 8. Carey led all scorers with 18 points and dished out seven assists, Powell recorded 17 points, seven coming in the overtime, and added seven rebounds.

Rematched against Cuba with the gold medal on the line, the USA never led but was always in contention before eventually falling 75-64 to the defending champion. The USA was led by Brunson's 16 points, while Moore added 13 points, nine rebounds and a game best three steals.

2003 USA Women's Pan American Games Roster

2003 USA Women's Pan American Games Cumulative Statistics