It is the team’s 6th consecutive gold medal.
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The U.S. women have dominated the 4×400 meter relay, as they’ve won each of the last five Olympic gold medals. But let’s be real, was there ever any doubt that Tamika Catchings, and likely Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird, would end their Olympic careers without a gold medal? Team USA’s Lindsey Whalen was the high scorer off the bench with 17 points.
When they say adeus to Rio, it can be with only one thing around their necks to deem the games a success.
Since then, they turned in a blowout win against Argentina’s decorated group (105-78) and took out a Spain team that has been considered the second-best on the planet for so many years (82-76). They hung 121 on Senegal and won by 65, while their biggest scare was a stress-free 19-point win over France in the semis.
Going into the gold-medal game, Team USA has already walloped Spain 103-63 on August 8. Taurasi was 6/10 from the field, sinking five of seven three point attempts. Now the talent-stacked Americans are champions once again.
“It’s pretty incredible”, said Taurasi, the 34-year-old guard led the team in scoring with 15.6 points per game over eight contests. “We had the goal to win the gold medal but there is something more to it than that”.
The Americans held 10-point or more leads in the second, third and fourth quarters but each time Spain would claw their way back into the game, keeping the outcome in doubt although the United States never appeared in danger of losing control.
Klay Thompson was on fire in the first half, dropping 17 of his team-high 22 points in the first two quarters.
“If you just took us out of the tournament, this would have been an awesome tournament”, he said, smiling and pausing.
Spain’s Alba Torrens scored a game-high 18 points, but United States of America were comfortable winners, leaving coach Geno Auriemma in tears.
“That’s what we came here for and we don’t want to leave with anything less than the gold medal”, forward Carmelo Anthony said.
But if they’re not disciplined and focused, the Americans’ aggressiveness on defense can be taken advantage of.
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As is always the case with this team, there was little doubt about the final outcome.
