KG-MVP21

USA Today - Russia beat the two-time defending champion United States 75-68 in the semifinals of the FIBA Women's World Championship on Thursday night, snapping the Americans' 26-game winning streak in this event.

Russia took advantage of poor shooting and sloppy ball-handling by Team USA to take a 58-38 lead after three quarters. The Americans closed to 73-68 with 45 seconds left, but after two missed free throws by Oxana Rakhmatulina with 30 seconds to go, the United States took up almost all of the 24-second shot clock and Candace Parker missed a shot inside with 12 seconds left.

Ilona Korstin made two free throws with 10 seconds to go and Russia (5-3) advanced to Saturday's gold-medal game against Australia (8-0), which beat Brazil 88-76 in the other semifinal.

The United States' last loss in the world championship was to Brazil, 110-107, in the semifinals in 1994. Team USA had won 51 straight games in the world championship and Olympics dating to that loss.

bball4life

wow thats a long winning streak they shouldnt have lost

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King of da court

im pissed they men or women cant even win a damn gold medal

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bball4life

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Killa of da court @ Sep 22 2006, 08:15 PM) [snapback]24823[/snapback]</div> :LMAO: :LMAO: :ROFL: :ROFL:

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TheFamily24

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bball4life @ Sep 22 2006, 09:22 PM) [snapback]24825[/snapback]</div>
:ROFL:

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KirkHinrich12

I think the women need to realize that they also cannot win w/ a collection of superstars

dtowngurl_22

^^That's not the problem. First of all, a couple of the players who were originally chosen weren't participating in this tournament, including this year's league MVP (Lisa Leslie) who's 3 for 3 as far as gold. Second, even with that, these players are very familiar with each other. Most of them have played together on college teams, all star teams and the olympics itself. Sue Bird, Taurasi, Katie Smith, Sheryl Swoopes & Tina Thompson, current Houston teammates who are also 3 for 3, and Tamika Catchings have all won gold medals, together. That's a good mix of young experience and veteran experience.

Besides, they were dominant up until that point anyway. The women have never lost since WNBA players started playing. There's a first time for everything. They're still winning gold.

Hmm, come to think of it maybe playing without leader Dawn Staley for the first time may have something to do with it... Hmm, that could be a problem seeing as how she's retired and is now an assitant coach for the US.

dtowngurl_22

Well, women dominate to take bronze. I think the first sentence of the recap is telling:

Any question on which USA team would show up for Saturday morning's World Championship bronze medal game were quickly answered as the USA came out firing and didn't stop until it had earned a dominating 99-59 victory over host Brazil (5-4).

http://www.usabasketball.com/seniorwomen/index.html

When you're undefeated since WNBA players participate and go 51 straight games without losing (26 in this particular tournament), I think it's alittle natural to have a let down.

Plus, that recap that KG posted said it itself. Sloppy ball handling and poor shooting... for a team that has shooters, mind you... Those areas are effort areas. If their focus was there they wouldn't have struggled. There was no better time for them to lose IMO.

bethanyL

I'm sure Lisa Leslie and Yo Griffith are strongly regretting not participating.

I hope people w/ the power to do so are regretting not putting Nolan on the team.

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dtowngurl_22

^^Oh hell yea. She made them look beyond silly for not picking her. I think she established herself as the best guard, 1 or 2 position, in the league. I always thought she could be, but that playoff run solidifies her IMO.

King of da court

Tha origonators of basketball cant even win tha DAMN gold medal of their own sport

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