The dominant US women’s basketball team won a sixth consecutive Olympic gold medal in impressive fashion, routing Spain 101-72 on Saturday. After a back-and-forth first quarter in which the Americans appeared sluggish and shot poorly, they quickly took control of the game with.
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The United States is set to take on Spain, a team they already beat by 40 points less than two weeks ago in the gold medal game on Saturday.
After the USA advanced to the gold medal game with a win over France Thursday, Auriemma was asked if he’s feeling sentimental.
“It’s really hard to play without Sue”, said Tina Charles. Sometimes you got to give credit to the other team.
Bird’s status for Saturday’s final versus Spain is unclear.
The U.S., which beat Spain by 40 in a preliminary round game, got off to a slow start and only led 21-17 after the first quarter.
As well as beating them in the Group Phase, the US also got the better of Spain in the Final of the 2014 FIBA Women’s World Championship.
“You forget how much Sue does for this team”, said Diana Taurasi, the top game scorer with 18 points.
The closest game the United States has played was in the semifinal against France, where they won by 19 points.
“I said it before the game…this was going to be a hard test against a tough, world-class team”, Taurasi said of the French team.
Diana Taurasi powered the Americans with a game-high 18 points.
Thursday’s game against France was a rematch of the 2012 London Games gold medal contest.
Stevenson will secure either gold or silver for the US, something the country hasn’t accomplished since Andre Ward won gold in Athens.
The point guard sprained her right knee capsule in the quarterfinals and has been listed as day-to-day.
“I’m just really happy”, Bird said.
“Wait!” said McCoughtry, one of the 2016 team’s blithest spirits, brightened and asked, “Who does that make me?” “It’s your body, you have to listen to it, you don’t want to put yourself in danger, but if I can play I’m definitely playing”.
The U.S. had cruised through its first six games, winning by almost 42 points a game and scoring at a record pace. What fans typically saw with a fluid offense, was a little shook up as France came out ready to defend the strong powerhouse. France responded to close the first half by outscoring the United States of America 14-8, France ended the first half trailing by just four points, 40-36. “Our team isn’t built around one person, it’s built around 12”, she said. So today, I had to do a little bit of that and I think we figured it out in the second half. So it was hard.
The United States headed into its semifinals game against France knowing how great of an opponent they would be. Auriemma started the fourth quarter with Bird, Taurasi and Tamika Catchings on the court and the game in hand. As the starters were about to take the court for the start of the second half, Bird huddled them up and could be seen offering words of encouragement and instructions. Those shots gave Taurasi a record 28 3-pointers in the Olympics – the most ever in the tournament. France’s offensive stagnation coincided with an outpouring of points by the USA, who scored 25 in the period and opened up a 21-point lead heading into the final frame.
Catchings was outside the press conference room, the last player left in the interview area, still doing what she does – giving out hugs and saying about the two weeks she made about the team: “We’ll be in history forever”.
France moved out to a 9-6 lead, but the U.S. put together an 8-0 stretch to go ahead 14-9 after two made free throws from Sylvia Fowles with 3:43 on the clock.
France hung tough in the first half, keeping it close as US led just 40-36 at half-time.
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It was only the second time in Rio that the USA didn’t reach 100 points in a game.
