After the game, one of Senegal’s players spoke about her team’s experience against the world’s dominant basketball power: “They have a great group that has been together for awhile and that shows, ” said Senegal’s Oumoui Thiam.
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Mind you, Palau said that after Spain lost 103-63 to the USA on Monday.
The United States won 121-56, which is the largest margin of victory in any Olympic basketball game.
This game won’t be broadcast live on TV as the Olympics women’s basketball coverage will ultimately be tape delayed.
The U.S. national team are the defending Olympic and World Champions in women’s basketball and are ranked number one in the world. This time though, it wasn’t record setting.
Diane Taurasi led the way with 15 points in the largest team offensive output in US team history.
The US benefits from a top-level college program that churns out basketball players in assembly-line fashion with the best moving on to play in the WNBA. The contest was a rematch of the 2014 world championship gold medal game that the Americans won by 13.
Griner will get her first chance to go for the single-game mark against Senegal today when the US women’s basketball team begins its Olympic play.
The game started fairly close, with the USA only leading by 17 at the midway point following a competitive second quarter. Once again first-time Olympian Delle Donne was in the middle of it. She had seven points, including a 3-pointer from the wing that made it 27-11 during the game-changing spurt. The Spaniards couldnt get within single digits the rest of the way. “They (Senegal) played hard and competed hard, obviously they are undermanned talent-wise when it comes to playing against the USA but you have to admire their effort”.
Five players on the national team and head coach Geno Auriemma have ties to the University of CT where the women’s game has strong support.
Taurasi, Tamika Catchings and Sue Bird are all playing in their fourth Olympic Games, so appreciate them while you can.
Also taking the court Monday will be the men of Group A, featuring the United States. Griner had 14 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. Taurasi ended up hitting one more three point shot in the third quarter to tie her own record for most three point makes in an Olympic game.
“Nobody cares about who gets the shot”, Bird told reporters after last week’s 104-89 exhibition victory over Australia at Madison Square Garden. A split second later, he was clutching his contorted left leg, his tibia fractured and his Olympics over.
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Brittney Griner (Phoenix Mercury) led the way for the United States of America in the first quarter with eight points and a defensive presence that frustrated Spain’s shooters. In Sundays win over Senegal, the crowd was behind the underdogs shouting down any American cheers. This time they wouldnt be drowned out.
