The United States crashed South Korea 104-60 Tuesday night in the quarterfinals of the Beijing Olympic women's basketball tournament at the Olympic Basketball Gymnasium.
The defending Olympic champions will play against the winner of a quarterfinal between Russia and Spain in a match to be played later Tuesday.
The Americans didn't control the game until they broke the open with a 7-2 run and finished the first quarter with a narrow lead 25-21.
The United States furthered the gap to 21 points, 51-30, at break and as many as 46 points, 104-58, before sealing the lopsided victory.
The Americans outshot South Korea 57 percent from the field from (43-of-76) to 40 percent (25-of-63) and outrebounded 50-24.
Sylvia Fowles led five Americans to score double digits with a game-high 26 points and 14 rebounds. Three South Koreans scored double figures led by Kim Kweryong's 14 points and five rebounds.
South Korea exit the tournament with a 2-4 win-loss record.
"We failed in Athens, but this time in Beijing we have succeeded by entering the quarterfinals," South Korean captain Jung Sunmin said. "This will give much confidence to the successive players on the national team."
(Xinhua News Agency August 20, 2008)