The dominant U.S. women’s basketball team won a sixth consecutive Olympic gold medal in impressive fashion, routing Spain 101-72 on Saturday.
RIO DE JANEIRO — Geno Auriemma and Diana Taurasi shared a long, emotional embrace. Mission accomplished.
The dominant U.S. women’s basketball team did what was expected, winning a sixth consecutive Olympic gold medal and doing it in impressive fashion. In yet another rout, the U.S. dismantled Spain 101-72 on Saturday.
Taurasi and the Americans played nearly flawless basketball in Rio, and were never challenged. They have won 49 consecutive games in the Olympics, with only one of those decided by single digits.
“It’s amazing, isn’t it? I mean when you think, that’s 20 years of 20 years,” Auriemma said. “You know the first one was ’96 and here we are 2016. It’s mind-boggling when you think about it what this team has been able to accomplish, this USA Basketball program. There is such a level of expectation, there’s such a level of respect for the people at the very top.
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“We’re doing stuff that may never be done again.”
Even with that kind of sustained success by some very talented U.S. teams, this may be the best women’s basketball squad ever assembled. The team won by nearly 40 points a game, but fell short of the record 102.4 points the 1996 team averaged.
But if this isn’t the best ever, it’s close.
Taurasi puts the 2016 group at the top of the list.
“I mean I’m not just saying talent-wise. I’m not saying margin of victory. I’m saying this is the most determined, unselfish team I’ve ever been on — hands down,” the four-time gold medalist said.
There never really was any doubt that the U.S. would win the gold in Rio. The only question was by how much.
Still, closure to their journey Saturday had Auriemma and Taurasi both fighting back tears.
“I think it was a very emotional time. When you’re around these players and you’re around Sue (Bird)and Diana and Tamika (Catchings), and you know that this may be their last and you’re able to send them out, it’s like graduating seniors back home,” Auriemma said. “And at the same time, you’ve got three young players who’ve never been here before. They get to go home with their first gold medal ever.
“There’s just a lot of emotions running through our team and running through our locker room.”
Unlike their semifinal win over France when the Americans looked discombobulated for a half, the U.S. was more fluid offensively. It helped having Bird, the Storm star, back in the lineup.
Bird, a four-time gold medalist and team captain, missed the semifinal game with a sprained right knee capsule. She wasn’t 100 percent Saturday, but was good enough and had three points in 17 minutes.
Breanna Stewart of the Storm had 11 points on 4-of-4 shooting. She was 2 for 2 from the foul line.
The U.S., which beat Spain by 40 in a preliminary-round game, got off to a slow start and led only 21-17 after the first quarter. The Americans were up 27-24 in the second quarter before getting going and taking a 49-32 halftime lead.
Spain never threatened in the second half.
Spain earned its first Olympic medal in women’s basketball. Serbia topped France for the bronze.
“I’m glad that we could compete like the first quarter. We were close, but it’s a team like it’s a dream team,” Silvia Dominguez said. “The best team in the world, they showed that.”