US women outlast Aussies to reach hoop final

Four-time defending champion United States advanced to the Olympic women's basketball final with an 86-73 victory over Australia on Thursday, stretching the US Olympic win streak to 40 games. The Women's NBA stars will try to take home their fifth gold medal in a row in Saturday's championship game against the winner of a later semi-final between undefeated France and reigning European champion Russia. Australia, which will play the Russia-France loser for bronze, lost to the US women in the 2000, 2004 and 2008 finals but the Opals faced the Americans one round earlier this year after losing to France in the group stage. Tina Charles scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to spark the US women while Diana Taurasi added 14 points and Sue Bird contributed 13. The US women, who have not lost at the Olympics since the 1992 semi-finals, improved to 16-0 against Australia in Olympic and world championship play. They are 8-1 against Russia and 6-1 against France in the same events.LONDON (AFP) - (AFP) - Four-time defending champion United States advanced to the Olympic women's basketball final with an 86-73 victory over Australia on Thursday, stretching the US Olympic win streak to 40 games. The Women's NBA stars will try to take home their fifth gold medal in a row in Saturday's championship game against the winner of a later semi-final between undefeated France and reigning European champion Russia. Australia, which will play the Russia-France loser for bronze, lost to the US women in the 2000, 2004 and 2008 finals but the Opals faced the Americans one round earlier this year after losing to France in the group stage. Tina Charles scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to spark the US women while Diana Taurasi added 14 points and Sue Bird contributed 13. The US women, who have not lost at the Olympics since the 1992 semi-finals, improved to 16-0 against Australia in Olympic and world championship play. They are 8-1 against Russia and 6-1 against France in the same events.