Leading 49-32 at the break, the USA easily dug an over 20-point hole for Spain by 56-34 two minutes into the third quarter.
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Lindsey Whalen and Diana Taurasi, who had 17 points each, led the U.S.in scoring.
The U.S. women now have won eight gold medals in Olympic competition, own a 49-game Olympic win streak and an overall record of 66-3 since beginning play in 1976. “These are very good teams that we’re playing, and you could see that it wasn’t just a cake walk, that it was a struggle”. This was just the latest American team to carry its torch, the 2016 team that had been spooked by Australia (98-88), Serbia (94-91) and France (100-97) in the Rio Games and was in desperate need of something to raise the intensity level heading into a game against Argentina.
“People who say that will find any reason not to appreciate what we’re doing”, Moore said.
No one has been able to beat the USA women’s basketball team at the Olympics for 20 years. They won by almost 40 points a game, but fell short of the record 102.4 points the 1996 team averaged.
US coach Geno Auriemma said, “You’re around Sue (Bird) and Diana and Tamika and you know that this will be their last (Olympic Games) and you can send them out, like graduating seniors back home”.
“I know just two ways”, Sasha Djordjevic said during his postgame press conference. The margin grew to 35 points early in the fourth quarter at 84-49, and from there the Americans coasted to victory.
“This was the most important day in my sporting life”, said Anna Cruz, who scored nine points, “because I’ve been on the national team for 15 years and this is my third Olympic Games”.
It is a level that has gone largely unappreciated here in Rio, where the women didn’t even get to play in the large Carioca Arena until their sixth game, even though all the USA men’s games were played there. The only question was by how much.
Still, closure to their journey Saturday had Auriemma and Taurasi fighting back tears. “I think that is the sign of a true champion, someone who loves the game”. “When you’re around these players, and you’re around Sue (Bird) and Diana and Tamika (Catchings), and you know that this may be their last, and you’re able to send them out, it’s like graduating seniors back home”, Auriemma said.
I don’t think this gold medal was ever in doubt. “The lateral motions running through our team, through our locker room, it’s just remarkable the way they came together in such a short period of time”.
Unlike their semifinal win over France when the Americans looked discombobulated for a half, the United States was more fluid offensively. It helped having Bird back in the lineup. The four-time gold medalist and team captain missed the semifinal game because of a sprained right knee capsule. She wasn’t 100 percent Saturday, but was good enough.
The first quarter saw six tied scores and four lead changes before the U.S. closed with seven straight points to take a 21-17 lead into the second quarter.
The run stretched into the second quarter when Sue Bird made a 3 at 9:36 to bring the score to 24-17.
Auriemma turned to something very familiar to him to spark the Americans.
The Connecticut coach put his five former Huskies players on the court at the same time for the first time in the Olympics, and that group started the 16-3 run that blew it open.
Taurasi and Lindsay Whalen paced the USA on the scoreboard, pouring in 17 points apiece, while Maya Moore potted 14.
By the time Lindsay Whalen’s layup just beat the halftime buzzer, the US led 49-32 and Spain had just two baskets in the final 6 minutes, 55 seconds of the half. Taurasi, who had a stellar Olympics for the USA finished with 17 points, including five 3-pointers.
Spain never threatened in the second half.
France guard Sarah Michel strips the ball from USA forward Tamika Catchings during second-half action in the women’s basketball semifinal at Carioca Arena 1 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, during the Summer Olympics. The forward won state titles her final three seasons at Collins Hill, two national titles as a four-time consensus All-American at CT and three WNBA titles in her first five seasons with the Minnesota Lynx.
“It’s one thing to get a lot of talent together”.
“Obviously, it was an incredible tournament for us”, Auriemma said.
Even with the loss, Spain earned its first Olympic medal in women’s basketball.
Serbia topped France for the Bronze. Spain also won the silver as the 2014 FIBA world championships, losing to Team USA, It will host the 2018 world championships. Spain held a narrow lead late in the first quarter before the United States pulled away easily, as it always does. “The best team in the world, they showed that”.
Lindsay Whalen, right, of United States goes to the basket against Astou Ndour Gueye of Spain during the women’s gold medal game between United States and Spain at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games August 20, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The only competition to that title is likely to come from previous American teams.
One of the most consistently dominant teams in the annals of the Olympics stepped on a Rio basketball floor Saturday in front of empty seats, feigned yawns and misguided perceptions.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, this was huge for Breanna Stewart and she handled her first Olympic experience well.
Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles collected their third Olympic gold medals to join three-time Olympic gold medalists Katie Smith, Dawn Staley and Sheryl Swoopes.
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Even if the three players don’t wear the red, white and blue again, the future remains bright for the U.S. Elena Delle Donne, Brittney Griner and Stewart all won their first Olympic golds.
