“I don’t want to know what we’re doing next”, Auriemma said.
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The U.S. women, who haven’t lost a game in the Olympics since 1992, defeated Spain 101-72. Bird’s status is day-to-day.
“It’s wonderful isn’t it?”
SWIMMERS GET TO GO HOME: Two American Olympic swimmers were on their way home Friday after being pulled off a plane a day earlier to testify about an alleged robbery at the Rio Olympics that Brazilian police said was made up. “It’s one thing to do something unexpected, but it’s another thing to do what you’re expected to do – year after year, game after game, quarter after quarter”.
That was one of the few issues that arose with Team USA in London in 2012. There is such a level of expectation, there’s such a level of respect for the people at the very top. Then finally, because of our depth and because of the experience on our team, we were able to separate ourselves.
Just fourty years after their Olympic debut, the USA women’s basketball team has grown into the most dominant team on earth. India won six from 1928-1950, while the US men won seven straight from 1936-1968. I’m not saying margin of victory.
Of course, it helps when the offense is facilitated by veteran point guard Sue Bird, arguably the greatest point guard to ever play the women’s game.
There never really was any doubt that the US would win the gold in Rio.
Still, closure to their journey Saturday had Auriemma and Taurasi both fighting back tears. “I think we will come out with a lot more energy than we have”.
Tony Parker, 34, confirmed after the loss that he had played his final game for France. He came to the U.S. as a small lad of just seven.
Seattle Storm guard Sue Bird started and played 17 minutes after missing the semifinals due to a knee injury.
Catchings was admittedly “hurt” by the omission of her good friend Parker, and she doesn’t love sitting the bench.
The Americans are knocked out of title contention and two-time defending Olympic champion Brazil was ousted in a stunning five-setter by China in the quarterfinals.
Auriemma turned to something very familiar to him to spark the Americans.
Bird always says she’s not the fastest or highest-flying talent in women’s basketball. Breanna Stewart got the spurt started with two free throws.
France lost to the U.S. by 36 points in the gold-medal game at the 2012 London Olympics and closed the gap over the next four years. On the Olympic front, the USA women’s volleyball team had not qualified for the Olympics in eight years.
Spain never threatened in the second half. We probably needed a game like this under our belt going into Saturday.
“There’s a lot of entitlement in sports out there today”, Auriemma said. They are hosting the 2018 worlds. As they showed yesterday it doesnt matter whos out there we have a really good team.
They did, and the gold medal game was just like the rest of this tournament, all about the U.S.
However, this American team is following in the footsteps of the ones before it who struggled to live up to their lofty expectations.
Charley Hull kept alive British hopes for a gold medal sweep in golf with a 66 that left her two shots behind Park. Crouser’s final attempt of the night measured 21.74 meters, with his Olympic record put surpassing the mark of 73 feet, 8 ¾ inches set by Ulf Timmermann of (formerly) East Germany in 1988.
This could be the final Olympic appearance for the three WNBA icons.
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Stevenson will win gold or silver, the first of either medal for American men since Andre Ward’s gold in 2004. But Auriemma said the upside of having already played one game without Bird is the US won’t have to spend a half working the kinks out of their offense in the gold-medal game like they did on this night.
