Sue Bird & US rout Canada to clinch Group B

Maya Moore scored 12 points, and the USA routed Canada 81-51 Friday to clinch Group B in women’s basketball. He’s averaging 18 points, six rebounds and one assist so far in the competition, and recently became the all-time leading scorer for Team USA following his performance against Australia.

The Canadian team made it tough for the Americans early on, holding the U.S.to just 18 points in the first quarter.

Canada struggled to get anything going offensively in the second. We shot the ball lousy in the first half. She scored four consecutive points, and then stole the ball from Canada to score on a fast-break play.

The U.S. team extended its Olympic winning streak to 45 games. That’s when the USA turned up its defence.

Team Canada wasn’t going to let the Americans just run up the score Friday and it slowed down the pace.

After allowing 16 first-quarter points, the US stifled the Canadian attack the rest of the way, allowing 35 points in the final three periods.

Diana Taurasi, who had a relative quiet first half hitting just two 3-pointers, helped the US open get some separation in the game.

Even with Friday’s incremental improvement, nothing suggests that Canada could compete with the U.S. for 40 minutes in the gold medal contest.

Miranda Ayim had eight points for Team Canada.

Despite the loss, Canada has won more games (three) than it has in any other Olympics.

Massialas became the first American fencer to win two medals in the same Olympics since 1932, when Joseph Levis accomplished that feat.

The Americans will look to finish pool play undefeated as they take on Team China on Sunday at 11:15 a.m.

The USA women’s basketball team dominated Serbia on Wednesday, pulling out a 110-84 victory. They are halfway to a sixth consecutive gold medal.

UConn junior guard Kia Nurse had just three points – a first-quarter free throw and a third-quarter layup – on 1-for-9 shooting and a pair of rebounds. U.S. coach Geno Auriemma accurately observed, “Every team’s starting five is really good in this tournament”, and his advantage is having seven world-class players coming off the bench. Diana Taurasi then hit a three-pointer for the halftime score. A victory over Senegal on Sunday would advance Serbia to the knockout round.

Spain annihilated winless Group B doormat Senegal 97-43 to book their place in the quarterfinals ahead of the tussle with Canada.