U.S. beats Spain, 77-64, to win women’s world basketball final

Maya Moore scored 18 points to lead the U.S. to a 77-64 victory over Spain and its second consecutive gold medal at the women’s basketball world championships on Sunday.

Lindsay Whalen added 12 points for the United States (6-0), which hasn’t lost in a gold-medal game in the world championships since 1983, when it was beaten by the Soviet Union, 84-82. Except for a hiccup in 2006 when the Americans lost to Russia in the semifinals, they have won every Olympic and world championship final since 1996. If not for that upset in Brazil, the U.S. would have five consecutive world titles.

The Americans turned this game quickly into a laugher, jumping out to a 13-point lead in the game’s first 4 1/2 minutes. Spain (5-1) could only get within seven points the rest of the way.

Moore, who was chosen tournament MVP, was the key in that early burst, scoring 11 points during the opening 18-5 run. Her 3-pointers barely moved the net as the Americans blitzed Spain, which was making its first appearance in the championship game.

Behind strong offensive rebounding, the Spaniards rallied to within 24-17, but then Whalen took over. She had nine points during a 13-0 run by the Americans spanning the end of the first and start of the second quarter to make it a 20-point game. Whalen ended the first quarter with a spectacular drive that ended with a floater in the lane right before the buzzer.

During the burst, Diana Taurasi threw a pinpoint pass to a streaking Seimone Augustus for another lay-in and the U.S. was off and running.

The Americans led 48-29 at the half. It was more of the same in the second half for the U.S., which led by 25 points before Spain closed the game with a 14-2 run.

While Taurasi only scored six points, she had eight assists. More importantly Taurasi was part of a stellar defensive effort by the U.S. on Spain’s star Alba Torrens. She scored 28 points in Spain’s semifinal win over Turkey but was held scoreless for the first 26 minutes of the game.

She finally hit a 3-pointer with 4:11 left in the third quarter, but that only made it a 21-point game. She finished with 10 points.

Sancho Lyttle led Spain with 16 points.

In other games Sunday, Australia routed Turkey, 74-44, to win the bronze medal. Canada topped China, 61-53, to finish fifth and France beat Serbia, 88-74, for seventh place.