Villanova standouts Christina Dalce, Lucy Olsen named to the U.S. U21 3x3 team
It's not the first time a Wildcat has represented the U.S. in this unique basketball format.
For two seasons, Christina Dalce and Lucy Olsen have represented Villanova on the basketball court.
Now, they’ll represent the United States.
Dalce and Olsen, who are coming off standout sophomore seasons, were named to the U.S. roster for the FIBA 3x3 Under-21 Nations League from June 23-29 in Handan, China. The tournament consists of six three-game tournaments in seven days, and the winning teams from each of the 13 events worldwide will qualify for the FIBA 3x3 U23 Nations League final, which is Sept. 13-15 in Mongolia.
Mara Braun (Minnesota), Jillian Hollingshead (Tennessee), Morgan Maly (Creighton), and Shyanne Sellers (Maryland) round out the team.
Unlike traditional five-on-five basketball, 3x3 is played on a half-court with a 10-minute game clock and a 12-second shot clock. Made buckets inside the arc are worth one point; field goals outside the arc are worth two. The first team to 21 or the leader when time expires is the winner. Teams “clear” the ball behind the two-point line following a made basket, defensive rebound, or steal.
Olsen is coming off a season in which she was named second-team All-Big East and was the team’s second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder with 12.4 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, along with a team-leading 163 assists. Dalce broke the school single-season blocks record, finishing with 86, and averaged 7.3 points and 7.6 rebounds to make her the Wildcats’ No. 3 scorer and No. 2 rebounder. The duo helped the Wildcats to a 30-7 record and the Sweet 16.
» READ MORE: Christina Dalce brings big play inside and is a provider of joy for Villanova
It’s not the only time Villanova has represented the U.S. in 3x3. Former star Maddy Siegrist, along with men’s players Eric Dixon and Chris Arcidiacono, were on the U.S. U23 teams last year.
The Nations League games will stream live on YouTube.