U.S. Women’s Basketball Rout Spain 103-63 To Move To 2-0 In Rio Olympics

Diana Taurasi scored 13 points and Elena Delle Donne added 12 to lead the U.S. Women’s Basketball Team to a 103-63 victory over Spain in Rio on Monday, thus improving their team to 2-0 at the Olympics.

U.S. Women’s Basketball Rout Spain 103-63 To Move To 2-0 In Rio Olympics

The win was the 43rd straight for the U.S. in the Olympics. The game was a rematch of the 2014 World Championship gold medal game that the Americans won by 13. The US Women — who have won five consecutive gold medals– defeated Senegal 121-56 in their opening Olympic match on Sunday afternoon. With that game, the U.S. set an Olympic record for total points scored in a game.

Spain (1-1) led 8-6 before the U.S. closed the first quarter on a 23-6 run. Delle Donne had seven points in the opening period, including a 3-pointer from the wing that made it 27-11 during the outburst. The U.S. led comfortably by double digits the rest of the way. Taurasi also had a U.S.-high two rebounds, two assists and a steal.

Coach Geno Auriemma experimented with different lineups, trying to determine which combination could most efficiently deliver. He placed the four Minnesota Lynx players on the court together for the first time. Maya Moore had already been in the starting group, while Lindsay Whalen Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles have been playing with the second unit.

Spain battled back to stay within 20 in the second quarter, thanks in part to the play of guard Leticia Romero, who plays at Florida State. The Olympic rookie earned her first playing time of the tournament and scored five consecutive points as Spain trailed 54-37 at halftime. She finished with nine points. Coaches told the players at halftime that they need to bring it up a notch, and they responded.

“I think we came out and did exactly that,” Fowles said in a television interview after the game. “We have to go out there and do exactly what (the coaches) ask for.”

Sue Bird, who is playing in her fourth Olympics, began the second half with a steal and then raced down the court for a layup. Shortly afterwards, the lead jumped to more than 20 and the rout started as Taurasi and Brittany Griner waved their arms to get the crowd to begin chanting “USA!” In Sunday’s victory over Senegal, the crowd overwhelming seemed to cheer for the African underdogs. This time, however, the U.S. fans would not be silenced.

Alba Torrens, whom the Connecticut Sun have the rights to in the WNBA, led Spain with a game-high 20 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists.

Spain missed the 2012 Olympics, but won the silver at the worlds. The Spaniards have never defeated the U.S. in a major competition, falling to 0-10 at the Olympics and world championships.

The U.S., which scored 100 or more points in consecutive games since the 2004 Olympics, next plays Serbia on Wednesday afternoon, while Spain faces China in the earlier game that morning. This year’s team could potentially break the 1996 U.S. Olympic team’s average scoring record of 102.4 points per game.

The U.S. are now 4-0 against Spain in Olympic play.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 08: Elena Delle Donne #11 of United States and Laura Nicholls #4 of Spain collide as the chase a loose ball during the women’s basketball game on Day 3 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Youth Arena on August 8, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena