Four other women scored in double figures, including Maya Moore, who had 15 points, six rebounds and three assists.
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France fought hard and made it difficult for the US team during the first two quarters, and the score was 40-34 for the Americans at the half, but the decisive shift came in the third period when the USA squad scored 25 points to their rivals’ 8, and the game stayed out of reach for France from then on.
The United States had trouble with an Australian team made up of five National Basketball Association players in pool play.
Prior to the gold medal match, Serbia and France will play for the bronze at 11:30 a.m. After one more score from France, the U.S. answered with seven straight points before another France run – this time nine points – and the United States of America called a second timeout up 76-63 with 3:15 remaining in the game. Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan started over DeMarcus Cousins, who had started the first five games, to give the USA a stronger defensive presence inside. Without Bird, the Americans looked discombobulated at times on offense against France.
The team is now counting on Taurasi, a four-time Olympian, to lead the team while hoping Bird can play on Saturday.
U.S. forward Angel McCoughtry scored seven points in a 13-5 second-quarter run to put the Americans ahead 32-22, but France answered with a 14-8 spurt to close the first half, Marine Johannes scoring six points as her side kept within 40-36 at half-time. Meanwhile, Fowles converted a three-point play, Lindsay Whalen scored three points and Elena Delle Donne converted a three-point play, and the U.S. led 65-43 with 24.9 seconds left in the third quarter.
In the quarterfinals against Japan, the team shut down the Japanese offensive attack by allowing only 13 points over the final 20 minutes.
Bolt has eight Olympic gold medals and the chance for a ninth as part of Jamaica’s 4×100-meter relay on Friday, when he’s aiming to complete a triple-triple of golds at the Summer Games. Though the USA outscored France 25-8 in the period, it had two 24-second shot clock violations.
The Spaniards were barely able to contain their excitement as the final minutes ticked off the clock, dancing and hugging before running onto the court to celebrate.
With those threes, Taurasi broke another record – this time not only America’s but the world’s – with the most threes ever in an Olympic women’s basketball tournament with 28.
Maroulis celebrated Thursday’s win by leaping into coach Valentin Kalika’s arms, then running around the mat in a circle and gripping the United States flag with both hands while it was draped over her back.
Bolt wanted to lower his world record of 19.19 seconds but the light drizzle at Olympic Stadium contributed to a slightly slower winning time of 19.78 in the final.
“The United States should win”, said Schmidt, who ranks as the all-time leading scoring in men’s Olympic basketball and works now as a TV broadcaster. This includes the five points the US surrendered in the final quarter.
“We played without one player”. Her tee shot on the par-5 18th failed by a foot to clear a bunker, and the ball stayed on the steep slope of soft sand. “We don’t want that to happen, don’t get me wrong”.
Marcus Fraser of Australia also shot a 63 in the opening round of the men’s competition last week on a course set up about 900 yards longer. He has been keeping steady in this tournament, averaging 12.5 points per game and shooting 50 percent per game, did not disappoint in the win against Argentina.
The International Boxing Association (AIBA) confirmed Thursday that Stevenson advanced by walkover. Team USA being the favorites to win gold in the 2012 summer games was nearly a bust in the final game against Spain.
US boxer Shakur Stevenson reached the Olympic bantamweight final Thursday after his Russian semifinal opponent was unable to fight because of an injury, marking the first time since 2004 that an American fighter will be in a gold medal match.
Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze sent their fellow Brazilians into a frenzy on Flamengo Beach after holding off the New Zealand crew by two seconds to win the gold medal in the women’s 49erFX class, which was making its Olympic debut.
“We didn’t talk about medals before we came”, Torrens said. They had won 27 straight regattas until finishing third in the South American Championships here last month.
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The Kiwis upgraded the silver they won at London in 2012.
