Texas Tech University Athletics
Swoopes and Team USA Advance to Medal Semifinals
August 25, 2004 | Women's Basketball
Aug. 25, 2004
LUBBOCK, Texas - Former Texas Tech standout Sheryl Swoopes and the U.S. Women's Olympic Basketball Team defeated host country Greece, 102-72, in the medal quarterfinals of the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, today. Team USA will take on Russia Fri., Aug. 27, in the medal semifinals. Against Greece, Shannon Johnson (San Antonio Silver Stars) and Tina Thompson (Houston Comets) combined for 41 points for the USA (6-0) to hand the Greeks (2-4) a 30-point loss. Johnson finished with 21 points followed by Thompson's 20. Swoopes scored 12 points as she was 5-for-10 from the field, while adding two rebounds, two steals and an assist in 25 minutes of action. The U.S. got off to a 6-0 lead to start the game before Greece finally got on the board with a pair of free throws. Team USA went on a 9-3 run to put them up 19-10. Greece however went on its biggest run of the game to put them within two points at 19-17, towards the end of the first quarter. With the USA up 24-19 with four seconds left in the first period, Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury) stole the ball and got it to Swoopes, who got fouled. Swoopes converted on the three-point play, which started a 13-0 run for the USA. Team USA outscored Greece 21-19 in the third quarter and 26-19 in the fourth to advance to the medal semifinals. The victory over Greece extended the U.S. winning streak to 23 games, dating back to the 1992 bronze medal contest. The USA now posts a 40-3 overall record in Olympic competition and has won a record four golds, one silver and one bronze medal in the six previous Olympic basketball competitions in which the U.S. has competed. The U.S. is looking for its third-straight gold medal after winning gold in Atlanta (1996) and Sydney (2000). The USA will face Russia (5-1) on Friday at 8:30 a.m. on the USA Network. The winner of that game will advance to the Aug. 28 gold medal game. The winner of the Spain-Brazil quarterfinal will meet the winner of the Australia-New Zealand quarterfinal contest in the other semifinal game. For more information, please log onto www.usabasketball.com. information provided by USA Basketball
