Page Solid, Serbs Struggle with Spain

Former Husker Danielle Page produced 10 points and team highs with seven rebounds and three steals, but she could not prevent a 68-54 women's basketball loss by Serbia to Spain in the semifinals of the Rio Olympics on Thursday.

Page, a 6-2 forward from Monument, Colo., who lettered for Nebraska from 2005 to 2008, hit 4-of-10 shots from the field while playing nearly 39 minutes against Spain, which advances to the gold medal game on Saturday. Serbia will play in Saturday's bronze medal game.

Page produced her fifth double-figure scoring effort in seven games at the 2016 Rio Olympics for Serbia, which entered the Olympics ranked as the No. 14 team in the world by FIBA, but advanced out of Group B play before knocking off world No. 2 Australia, 73-71, on Tuesday to move into the semifinals.

Page, who is averaging 10.7 points, a team-best 5.7 rebounds, a team-best 1.6 blocks and 1.1 steals per game, ranks third in the Olympics with 11 total blocks trailing only Team USA's Brittney Griner and Spain's Astou Ndour.

Page is one of four Serbian players to average in double figures, but on Thursday against Spain, the Serbs went cold from the field. Spain held Serbia to 31.3 percent shooting (21-67) from the floor, including just 2-for-12 success from three-point range. Spain answered with 44 percent shooting (22-50), including 3-for-12 from three-point range, while outscoring Serbia 21-10 at the free throw line.

Page opened Olympic play with 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field for Serbia in a 65-59 loss to Spain on Aug. 7. Page added five rebounds and a pair of blocked shots. She managed four points, six rebounds, four blocked shots and two steals for Serbia in a 71-67 setback to Canada on Aug. 8.

In a loss to Team USA on Aug. 10, Page led Serbia with 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field, including a pair of three-pointers.

She produced 12 points and eight rebounds in an 80-72 victory over China on Aug. 12. Page hit 6-of-8 shots from the floor against China, while adding three assists and a blocked shot to give Serbia its first win of the Rio Olympics.

Page followed with 15 points and eight more rebounds in a win over Senegal on Aug. 14 that secured Serbia's spot in the medal round.

She was limited to just five points, four rebounds and two steals in limited action against Australia because of foul trouble, but she was a driving force in a 13-4 surge in the second half that turned an eight-point deficit into a lead for Serbia.

Danielle Page Olympic Bests
Points: 15 vs. Team USA, Aug. 10; vs. Senegal, Aug. 14
Rebounds: 8 vs. China, Aug. 12; vs. Senegal, Aug. 14
Blocked Shots: 4 vs. Canada, Aug. 8
Steals: 3 vs. Spain, Aug. 18
Assists: 3 vs. China, Aug. 12
FGM: 7 vs. Spain, Aug. 7; vs. Senegal, Aug. 14
FGA: 11 vs. Spain, Aug. 7; vs. Team USA, Aug. 10; vs. Senegal, Aug. 14
3FGM: 2 vs. Team USA, Aug. 10
3FGA: 3 vs. Team USA, Aug. 10
FTM: 2 vs. Spain, Aug. 18
FTA: 4 vs. Australia, Aug. 16; 4 vs. Spain, Aug. 18