sports
Olympic women's basketball: Five story lines
- Updated: July 21, 2012 - 9:16 PM
Diana Taurasi stood tall against Australia, scoring 24 points and propelling the United States to the top seed in the next round.
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1 WELL-REPRESENTED
If last year's WNBA title and a strong start to the 2012 season weren't enough to remind everyone just how good the Lynx are, then the fact that 25 percent of Team USA is made up of players from the local pro team should be.
2 NO RESPECT
Despite winning four consecutive gold medals and 33 consecutive games in the Olympics, Team USA is playing the "no respect" card -- not in the sense that people don't think they're good, but that they get overlooked because success is expected. "We're still fighting for respect in our own country. I think it's a little sad," Diana Taurasi said. "That's a heck of a motivator for all of us in the gym."
3 TRAVEL
Perhaps it is just a function of question-askers grasping at straws to find any potential weakness for Team USA, but the idea that the team could be fatigued in London is being mentioned. By the time they reach London on Wednesday, the team will have gone nearly 6,750 miles, hitting three countries in just 10 days.
4 CAN ANYONE LEGITIMATELY CHALLENGE TEAM USA?
Russia is the only team to defeat the U.S. in major international competition since 1996, earning a victory in the semifinals of the 2006 world championships. Russia brings a formidable team to London, as does Australia -- which has taken home the silver medal each of the past three Olympics. Standout Lauren Jackson has been training with her teammates for three months, which could give the Australian squad an edge when it comes to continuity. But they will be without Penny Taylor, a three-time WNBA All-Star who tore her anterior cruciate ligament in April.
5 3-ON-3 ON THE WAY?
FIBA -- the sport's international governing body -- is trying to add a 3-on-3 tournament to the Olympics. Officials say it would give more countries the opportunity to compete in the global sport since only four players would be needed for a roster. So, yes, the popular pickup game could actually be coming to a future Olympics.
STAFF, WIRE REPORTS
TEAM USA ROSTER
Name Pos. WNBA team
Seimone Augustus F Lynx
Sue Bird G Seattle Storm
Swin Cash F Chicago Sky
Tamika Catchings F Indiana Fever
Tina Charles C Connecticut Sun
Sylvia Fowles C Chicago Sky
Asjha Jones F Connecticut Sun
Angel McCoughtry F Atlanta Dream
Maya Moore F Lynx
Candace Parker F/C Los Angeles Sparks
Diana Taurasi G/F Phoenix Mercury
Lindsay Whalen G Lynx
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| Minnesota - LP: V. Worley | 3 | FINAL |
| Atlanta - WP: P. Maholm | 8 |
| Cincinnati - WP: A. Simon | 7 | FINAL |
| NY Mets - LP: B. Parnell | 4 |
| Los Angeles - WP: H. Ryu | 9 | FINAL |
| Milwaukee - LP: W. Peralta | 2 |
| Oakland - LP: J. Parker | 1 | FINAL |
| Texas - WP: R. Wolf | 3 |
| Arizona - LP: T. Cahill | 1 | FINAL |
| Colorado - WP: J. De La Rosa | 4 |
| Washington - WP: T. Clippard | 2 | FINAL |
| San Francisco - LP: J. Affeldt | 1 |
| Tampa Bay - LP: C. Ramos | 3 | FINAL |
| Toronto - WP: A. Loup | 4 |
| Chicago Cubs | 0 | Bottom 6th Inning |
| Pittsburgh | 1 |
| Detroit | 6 | Bottom 4th Inning |
| Cleveland | 2 |
| NY Yankees | 1 | Top 5th Inning |
| Baltimore | 6 |
| Seattle | 0 | Top 6th Inning |
| LA Angels | 7 |
| Philadelphia | 3 | Top 6th Inning |
| Miami | 0 |
| Boston | 2 | Bottom 2nd Inning |
| Chicago WSox | 0 |
| Kansas City | 0 | Top 3rd Inning |
| Houston | 2 |
| St. Louis - T. Lyons | 9:10 PM |
| San Diego - B. Smith |
| Indiana | 14 | 1st Qtr 4:03 |
| Miami | 18 |
| Pittsburgh | 3 | 2nd Prd 12:11 |
| Ottawa | 2 |
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