GWANGJU, South Korea – Stanford forward Erica McCall won her fourth gold medal representing the United States on Monday following Team USA’s 82-63 victory over Canada at the 2015 World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea.
The rising junior, who also took home tournament titles with Team USA at the 2011 U16 FIBA Americas Championship and the FIBA U17 World Championship and 3X3 U18 World Championship in 2012, scored nine points, pulled down six rebounds and had three blocks in Monday’s win. The United States (6-0) took a three-point lead into the fourth quarter and nearly doubled up Canada (5-1) in the final 10 minutes, scoring 34 points to win its 10th World University Games gold medal and sixth straight.
“We really increased the pressure defensively,” McCall said of the United States’ fourth-quarter surge. “That allowed us to feel confident about our shots. Once one shot was knocked down, it seemed like everything was going down. That defense is what really helped get us going.”
A United States co-captain, McCall finished the event tied for eighth overall in scoring (15.2), was eighth in rebounds (8.5), tied for third in blocks (1.8) and led all players in South Korea in field goal percentage, converting 37 of her 62 attempts from the floor (.597). Team USA went a perfect 6-0 and defeated its opponents by an average of nearly 22 points per game.
“The whole experience has been amazing,” McCall added. “Getting to meet people from so many different countries has been incredible and representing my country is one of the biggest honors you can have in your life. I am so happy and blessed to be a Cardinal and ready to bring the gold back home.”
In the opener against Italy on July 4, McCall poured in 22 points while grabbing a game-high 18 rebounds in an 80-68 victory. She followed that up with 12 points, three rebounds and three blocks in a 90-75 win against China on July 6 and closed out group play with 15 points, eight rebounds and three blocks on July 7 against the Czech Republic, a 92-54 United States triumph.
Team USA knocked off Hungary, 84-43, in the quarterfinals last Thursday behind another balanced 14-point, five-rebound effort from McCall in just 21 minutes. In Saturday’s semifinals against Japan, she scored 19 and grabbed 11 boards to help the United States to a thrilling, double-overtime win (102-98).
Get big boiiiiii!! #champs pic.twitter.com/4h5BiMP6D1
— Bird (@_mediumE) July 13, 2015
McCall appeared in all 36 games during her sophomore season at Stanford, making 18 starts. She was second on the team in rebounding (5.4 per game) and seventh in scoring (5.6 per game). A Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention selection, McCall closed the year with three impressive performances in the NCAA Tournament, averaging 9.7 points and 8.0 rebounds against CSUN, Oklahoma and Notre Dame.