We are now in the knockout rounds of the 2010 FIBA Women's World Championships in which one bad day or one bad quarter at the wrong time and it's off to the classification round.That lesson was driven home in today quarterfinal matchups in Karlovy Vary when defending FIBA champ Australia was upset by the host Czech Republic 79-68. Previously unbeaten FIBA number 2 ranked Russia succumbed to the upset bug and was shockingly knocked off 70-53 by a Belarus team in its first FIBA competition.
It remains to be seen if Belarus head coach Anatoli Buyalski puts on the dress he promised his team he'd wear if his team knocked off Russia.
Team USA seemed to be immune to the basketball upset bug roaming around Karlovy Vary. The American lady ballers put together another dominating performance in which six players were in double figures led by Angel McCoughtry's 17 points, had a 59-16 rebounding edge, shot 57.1% for the game, 36.4% from three point range and were whistled for just five fouls in the entire game as they knocked out Korea 106-44 to move on to the semifinals.
They will face a Spanish team that had to work overtime to beat France 74-71
Candice Dupree had a double double with 12 points and 16 rebounds, .Maya Moore contributed 15 points to the basketball cause, Swin Cash chipped in 11 points and Sylvia Fowles and Tina Charles added 10 each as the posted their third 100 point game in this 2010 FIBA World Championship tournament. .With the win Team USA has advanced to its ninth consecutive World Championship medal semifinal game dating back to the 1979 FIBA Worlds.
That 1979 team was coached by the University of Tennessee’s Pat Summitt and went on to capture the gold medal.
Coach Auriemma and the 2010 USA squad are now 7-0 and only two wins away from their twin goals of an eighth FIBA world title and that coveted birth in the 2010 London Olympic basketball tourney. .
