U.S. women's basketball on pace to break the points record set by 1996 team

ByMINA KIMES
August 16, 2016, 11:00 PM

— -- The booing started late in the second quarter, once the crowd grew tired of watching the Chinese team get relentlessly pounded. At the beginning of the game, the fans, most of whom were Brazilian, gamely rooted for both sides -- but when Brittney Griner scored an easy layup, boosting the U.S. team's lead to 43-17, a few boos tinkled through the arena. A minute later, Maya Moore missed a jumper and the audience howled with glee.

A small, vocal section of American supporters, which included friends and relatives of the team, tried to counter with a USA cheer. They were shouted down by the Brazilians, who had thrown their weight behind the underdogs and incorporated "China" into a variety of Portuguese chants.

There were not many opportunities for them to cheer.

The American women have crushed the competition in Rio so far, and Sunday's 105-62 win over China was no different. For other teams, competing with the U.S. is a little like jumping into a swimming pool and facing five clones of Katie Ledecky, or battling an army of Simone Biles-bots on the gymnastics mat.

"They totally physically overwhelm you," said China's coach, Tom Maher. "And their basketball IQ is huge."

The U.S. team racked up 14 steals against China, who seemed to be perpetually lost in a thicket of American limbs. Griner, who scored 18 points, towered over shooters, forcing them to lob awkward threes from open space. They were limited to 7 for 25.

With the exception of 5-foot-6 point guard Zhifang Zhao, China boasts more height than most teams. But the U.S. squad, which has more players over 6-foot-4 than any other Olympic roster, easily dominated them in the paint.

"Every single area we marked down that we wanted to accomplish, we accomplished today," said U.S. coach Geno Auriemma after the game. "When you have 40 assists, that means something. That's a hell of a thing."

The Chinese team tried to trap guards Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi on several possessions, leaving their teammates open for easy layups down the court. The U.S. only turned the ball over 14 times.

"Despite of what the crowd thought that was booing us, I thought it was fun," said Auriemma.

Moore, who said she knew many of the players on the Chinese team from her time playing overseas with Shanxi Flame, said it was important for the U.S. to keep its foot on the gas pedal, even though it had already secured a spot in the quarterfinals going into today's game.

"We can't relax, lose our focus at all," Moore said. "Our days together are limited."

On Tuesday, the U.S. will face Japan in a single-elimination match.

With this latest victory, the American women have now won 46 straight games in Olympic play. The last time they lost was in 1992 -- two years before Breanna Stewart was born. Since arriving in Rio, they have averaged 104.2 points per game, which puts them on pace to break the record set by the 1996 team of 102.4 points per game.

Maher, China's coach, said he believes the current squad is comparable to that star-studded 1996 team, whose success paved the way for the inception of the WNBA.

When asked about the U.S. squad's dominance, he could only shake his head. "Who on any other team in this tournament, could even make their team?"