One-third of the 12 player roster for the U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team are Minnesota Lynx players, and their head coach Cheryl Reeve is also one of the assistant coaches. “Even though the Games have started and we are here and ready to go it is nearly like a practice”.
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All 12 members of the United States line-up hit the scoreboard, seven recording double figures led by 15-point efforts from Taurasi, Sylvia Fowles and Breanna Stewart.
Geno Auriemma’s squad dominated in pretty much every single statistical category.
Once again the depth of Team USA was highlighted with all 12 players getting on the scoreboard, including five in double digits with Diana Taurasi leading the way with 13 points. While this win didn’t come in the same record fashion the US opened the Olympics with when it beat Senegal by 65 points, the Americans coasted after the first few minutes. They also broke the largest margin of victory in USA history which had been a 60-point win over Zaire in 1996. 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. Later on, the fans even began booing the USA whenever it touched the ball.
“It was a good start”, Taurasi said afterward. We know Spain is a tough team. A long eight games, hopefully.
The U.S. national team are the defending Olympic and World Champions in women’s basketball and are ranked number one in the world.
The victory was the 43rd consecutive for the U.S.in the Olympics. Almost two-thirds of their baskets were scored inside the paint.
The USA Basketball women’s team looks to continue their winning ways, as they take on their Spanish counterparts on Monday. Auriemma had spoken for days leading up to Sunday’s game about how his team was so anxious to get started, he welcomed the idea of playing back-to-back games. “Each game we play is going to get progressively harder”. Players need a release from their National Basketball Association teams to compete internationally if they have a pre-existing injury, and Bogut said he was a little anxious he might not get it from the Mavs, who acquired him last month in a trade. And at the early pace they are scoring at the Rio Games, they might break the 1996 teams record average of 102.4 points a game. Griner scored a total of 10 points.
And Cuban is pulling for his new center, who scored 18 points to lead the Aussies to an 87-66 victory over France on Saturday in the opening game of the tournament.
First-time Olympians Griner, Elena Delle Donne and Stewart all had their first taste of the Games. Please see our terms of service for more information.
“Would I want to be in their shoes, probably not, but they are trying to make history by beating us”.
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All six Group B teams will be in action Monday, with undefeated Canada playing Serbia and Senegal facing China.
