US women’s basketball beats Senegal in record-breaking win

As for China, they didn’t exactly keep things close in their first game in the Olympics women’s basketball competition as Canada thrashed them by 22 points.

United States forward Breanna Stewart (9) grabs a rebound during the second half of a women’s basketball game against Spain at the Youth Center at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Aug. 8, 2016.

“Each Olympics is different and we just take it one game at a time”, said Tamika Catchings, who has helped the USA win golds in the past three Olympics. “We’re going to Rio to win a gold medal”. Long before the USA took a 65-21 into the half, the Brazilian crowd had adopted the smaller Senegalese team and cheered encouragement whenever it did manage to score.

Two marks that are known, are the USA records.

The 121 points breaks Team USA’s own Olympic record of 114 points which it tset twice-in the 1992 games in Barcelona and 2012 in London.

The small African nation is searching for its first victory in its second Olympics, while the Americans won their 42nd straight Olympic game.

The Americans were a 57.5-point favorite coming into the contest.

Nine players scored at least eight points, led by 13 points from Diana Taurasi, 12 each from Sylvia Fowles and Delle Donne, 10 each from Brittney Griner and McCoughtry.

While Delle Donne called her first Olympic game “fun”, Taurasi was much harder to please, insisting, “There are things we have to work on”.

“Records at the end of the day are fun to look back on, but more than anything regardless of the score it s lovely basketball”, USA co-captain Sue Bird said.

First-time Olympians Brittney Griner, Elena Delle Donne and Stewart all had their first taste of the Games.

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The extent to which the depth of talent manifested itself as a strategic advantage can be gleaned from this stat: every USA Basketball player scored with the exception of starting point guard Sue Bird-in the first half. Stewart also had two on a nifty alley-oop layup from Bird. The Spaniards opened by beating Serbia 65-59 as Marta Xargay had 15 points, Anna Cruz added 13 points and 11 rebounds and Astou Ndour contributed 11 points and 12 rebounds.