Monday, August 15, 2005

IZMIR, Turkey – Gardner-Webb center Simon Conn, a rising senior, has seen action in three games for the Australian National Team at the 2005 World University Games – and has been strong against international competition.

On Sunday, Conn scored a team-high 10 points and pulled down a team-best eight rebounds off the bench to lead Australia in a narrow, 68-65, loss to a strong Lithuanian squad in the tournament’s third preliminary game.

The 6-foot-9, 250-pounder started and scored nine points to go with seven rebounds on 4-of-4 shooting in Australia’s 99-69 win over Lebanon in the preliminary opener on August 12, and had two points in an 80-72 win over Great Britain in the second preliminary game of the event this past Saturday (August 13).

Conn is shooting 76.9 percent from the floor during the Games, while averaging 7.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per outing for the Aussies. The Australian squad will battle Ukraine on Tuesday, August 16.

Conn, who hails from Melbourne, Australia, is one of several Australian players on the World University Games roster who play at Division I schools in the United States – joining Kevin Brophy (Georgia), Ian Crosswhite (Oregon), Daniel Dillon (Arizona) and Chris Cameron (Louisiana-Lafeyette).

Conn is one of five returning starters for Gardner-Webb in 2005-2006, and will enter his senior campaign with high expectations after closing out last season on a roll. The Bulldog center averaged 21.8 points and 10.7 rebounds per game during Gardner-Webb’s run to the 2005 A-Sun Tournament title game – earning All-Tournament honors.

Conn averaged 14.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game on the season, and was among the A-Sun’s best in field goal percentage as a junior (.575). He scored a career-high 29 points twice (vs. Jacksonville and Florida Atlantic) and netted 28 points on the road at Big 12 member Colorado.

Gardner-Webb opens its 2005-2006 season at defending national champion North Carolina on November 19 in Chapel Hill.

NOTES: Conn isn’t the lone Gardner-Webb connection with the World University Games in Turkey this month. GWU Athletic Training Program Director Ashley White is working with the United States’ Diving Team as well for the Games.