Mel doing what she does bestTeam USA defeated Canada 75-59 at the Pan Am Games Semifinals and advance to the Gold Medal game on Tuesday afternoon. Team USA was led by Louisville junior forward Angel McCoughtry’s (Baltimore MD) 21 points and 6 rebounds. Stanford sophomore Jayne Appel (Pleasant Hill CA) scored 12 points and UConn senior guard Mel Thomas (Cincinnati OH) added 10 points in 14 minutes (3 for 5 from the field, 1 of 2 from 3pt and 3 for 3 FT) as the USA reserves scored a total of 52 points while two starters were held scoreless. UConn senior Charde Houston (San Diego CA) contributed a rebound and a steal in 9 minutes of playing time.

The young and inexperienced USA will play a Brazil team loaded with veterans for the Gold Medal Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. ET. The worse they can do is bring home the Silver Medal.