Bluder’s quest for gold begins Thursday

The cafeteria is the melting pot of the Pan American Games village in Toronto. There is food there. There is also applause.

'There are 41 countries represented here, and it doesn't matter what country somebody is from. Whenever somebody walks into that cafeteria with a medal around their neck, everybody stops what they're doing and cheers for them,” said University of Iowa women's basketball coach Lisa Bluder.

She hopes to hear that same applause by Monday night.

The head coach of the U.S. national team, Bluder takes her team into preliminary play Thursday. Team USA faces Brazil in the first of three opening-round games at 8 p.m. (ESPN3).

Despite a seventh-place Pan Am finish in 2011, the Americans are the favorites.

'We always have that target on our backs,” Bluder said. 'Everybody wants to get the USA.”

Bluder has a young, extremely talented roster than includes Breanna Stewart of the University of Connecticut. Stewart has helped lead the Huskies to three straight NCAA championships.

'She is so versatile,” Bluder said. 'She can play any position on the court. She's one of the best 3-point shooters we've got. She can post up. She has a beautiful hook shot.

'But what impressed me most about Stewart, and with (UConn teammate) Moriah Jefferson, isn't the way they play. It's how good kids they are. They do things the right way.”

Team USA basically is a college all-star squad. Forming chemistry 'has been an interesting aspect,” Bluder said.

'We have 12 kids that are used to being THE best on their roster,” she said. 'But somebody has to be the 10th, 11th, 12th kid.”

Defensively, Bluder said, the Americans are ready for battle. Offensively, she's not so sure.

'With the short amount of time, it's been difficult,” she said.

Bluder's offense is far different that what the Hawkeyes use. It's still a four-out set, but it's more predicated on ball screens and drives to the basket.

'These kids are great off the dribble,” Bluder said. 'But we're not very good 3-point shooters, and that scares me a little.”

The preliminaries are three straight nights, all at 8 p.m. (Iowa time), all televised on ESPN3. After Thursday's contest against Brazil, the Americans face the Dominican Republic on Friday, Puerto Rico on Saturday.

The top four teams advance to the semifinals - at 12:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Sunday. The medal games are Monday.

Bluder is assisted by Michelle Clark-Heard of Western Kentucky and Scott Rueck of Oregon State.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com