Sunday, 7 August 2016

U.S. women's basketball team makes easy work of Senegal 121-56

The U.S. women cruised over Senegal (Getty Images).
As expected, Senegal was no match for the United States women’s basketball team.

The U.S. won 121-56 in a game that was over in the first few minutes as Diana Taurasi opened the game with a barrage of 3-pointers. Taurasi hit four 3s in the game’s first seven minutes.

The 121 points are the most the U.S. women have ever scored in an Olympic basketball game. Taurasi hit five 3s, and tied her own record for most 3 in a game. The previous points record for the U.S. women was 114, a mark set in Barcelona in 1992 and matched in London in 2012.

The U.S. led 35-9 at the end of the first quarter and 64-21 at the half. The closest Senegal came in any quarter was the fourth, when the U.S. outscored it 27-18.

Taurasi, Breanna Stewart and Sylvia Fowles each had 15 points for the United States. Every member of the team played at least 13 minutes and Elena Delle Donne, in her first Olympic appearance, got the most minutes with just over 22. Every player scored at least four points and seven women reached double figures.

The U.S. plays Spain at 11 a.m. ET on Monday. The team plays five group games before knockout play begins.

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