Mizzou's Marcus Denmon On Team USA Tipping It Off In World University Games

Senior Missouri Guard Marcus Denmon, who played high school basketball at Hogan Prep in Kansas City, Mo., has been named to the final 12-man roster for the U.S. men's basketball team that will play in the World University Games that begin next week in Huizhou, China.

"My mindset was just to come out here and work hard. I couldn't really control anything else," the 6-foot-3 guard from Kansas City said in a statement issued by Missouri. "It's something every basketball player has dreamed of, and I look forward to representing the University of Missouri and the United States.

"It's been a great experience," he said. "I have met a lot of great people and have had a chance to work with some great coaches."

Team USA will leave for China on Monday and will play an exhibition game against New Century, a Chinese Basketball Association team on Aug. 11 in Huizhou before beginning World University Games action on Aug. 13. The U.S. team will compete in pool play initially, playing five games in six days. The Quarterfinals are scheduled for Aug. 20, the semifinals on Aug. 21 and the finals on Aug. 22

Matt Painter, head coach at Purdue, who was offered the Missouri coaching job when Mike Anderson left last spring but turned it down to stay at Pudue, will coach Team USA at the World University Games.  

Besides Denmon, the 12-man Team USA roster includes Draymond Green (Michigan State), Trevor Mbakwe (Minnesota), Tom Ambromaitis (Notre Dame), Scoop Jardine (Syracuse), John Jenkins (Vanderbilt), Ashton Gibbs (Pittsburgh), Orlando Johnson (California-Santa Barbara), JaMychal Green (Alabama), Ray McCallum (University of Detroit Mercy), Greg Mangano (Yale) and Darius Miller (Kentucky).