loser, Johanna Larsson of Sweden, beat seventh-seeded Time

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Diana Taurasi and the U.S. womens basketball team opened their Olympics with a record rout, beating Senegal 121-56 Sunday.The Americans were not expected to be challenged by Senegal, and the only real suspense was how many records they would set. When it ended, the U.S. had set three Olympic marks: points scored in a game, margin of victory and assists.The players and the U.S. coaching staff were happy with how the team went about it.With a team of WNBA MVPs and All-Stars, the Americans constantly made the extra pass on offense that led to open shots or layups. Sue Bird had eight of the teams U.S.-record 36 assists.When we move the ball like that and the ball doesnt get stuck and the defense has to guard us at all five spots on the floor, thats just a tough task for anybody, U.S. coach Geno Auriemma said. Especially in the first half we shot the lights out, we shot great. ... It was really fun.Well, maybe not for everyone.The Brazilian fans tried to spur on the African country, cheering loudly every time it scored and booing the U.S. when the Americans had the ball. The fans even shouted down a brief U.S. chant with a Senegal one.The Americans were used to that treatment, having last played in Brazil in 2006 when they lost in the semifinals of the world championship. Thats the last time the U.S. lost a game in a major tournament.We played in Sao Paolo in the world championships and we played against Russia, Bird said. And it was in Brazil again and we lost that game, and the entire place was chanting Russia. I mean every single person.The Americans reached the 100-point mark for the 15th time in Olympic history early in the fourth quarter, and Breanna Stewart hit a 3-pointer with 3 minutes left to top the Olympic-record 114 points the Americans had against China in 2012. They also broke the largest margin of victory in U.S. history, which had been a 60-point win over Zaire in 1996.When you think about it, its really cool to know that history it went that far back and we were able to break it today in our first game, Stewart said. We hope to play even better in our next one.The Americans were a 57.5-point favorite coming into the contest. Taurasi swished her early 3-pointers as the U.S. raced out to a 27-5 lead. The Americans led 35-9 after the first quarter and by 43 at the half en route to a 42nd consecutive Olympic win.Both U.S. basketball teams opened with dominant victories. The womens performance came less than 24 hours after the mens team opened with a 57-point rout of China.More than anything, regardless of the score, its beautiful basketball. Were sharing the ball, Bird said. I dont even know how many points we scored, 100 and whatever. ... We share the ball, we move the ball, we make the right plays at the right time, and that to me is a great brand of basketball.First-time Olympians Brittney Griner, Elena Delle Donne and Stewart all had their first taste of the Games. Griner had 14 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. Stewart, who won four titles under Auriemma at UConn, scored 15 points, tied for the team lead with Taurasi and Sylvia Fowles. Two of Stewarts points came on a nifty alley-oop layup from Bird. Delle Donne added 11.We looked around and said that the three of them played like they were Olympic veterans, Auriemma said. It didnt look at all like there was any sign of nervousness or tentativeness or deferring to the other players. I was thoroughly impressed and really, really happy the way it played out for them. The perfect way for this to start.Senegal was playing in its second Olympics. The African nation lost all six of its games in 2000. Nigeria is still the only African country to win an Olympic contest, getting a victory in 2004.I dont think were really disappointed, said Senegal guard Aya Traore, who played at Purdue on the 2005-06 Sweet 16 team. This is the second time for Senegal to be in the Olympics, and for our group, this is the first time. So playing against the U.S., whos been here every Olympics and world champions and last Olympic gold medalists, what can you expect more? For us, were just happy to be here. We learned a lot of things today, and hopefully were going to take the things with us moving forward.The Americans could face a stiffer test Monday when they take on Spain. NFL Jerseys Wholesale . The 43-year-old closer, in his 19th and final big league season, has said hed like to play the outfield. Yankees manager Joe Girardi says hes thinking about allowing Rivera to do it this weekend, when the Yankees finish their season with a three-game series at the Houston Astros. NFL Jerseys 2020 . -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. https://www.nfljerseys2020.com/ . During the athletes parade, the 23-strong Ukrainian team was represented by a lone flagbearer in an apparent protest at the presence of Russian troops in Ukraines Crimean peninsula. NFL Jerseys 2020 Paypal . Both players have lower body injuries that will keep them out of the lineup until at least January 31, which is the first game they can be activated from IR. Wholesale NFL Jerseys 2020 . -- The St. Johns IceCaps weathered a wild first period with the help of goaltender Jussi Olkinuora, before finding offensive inroads in the second. NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Top seed Agnieszka Radwanska overcame a slow start and breezed past Jelena Ostapenko 7-5, 6-1 on Tuesday night in the second round of the Connecticut Open.Ostapenko had upset four-time New Haven champion Caroline Wozniacki in the first round and had a set point, leading the fourth-ranked player in the world 5-4. But Radwanska rallied to hold serve, then broke the 19-year-old from Latvia in the 11th game to take control of the match.I think I was just more patient and well, just two points better, said Radwanska, of Poland.Before that match, the day belonged to the underdogs.Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium became the fourth lucky loser this week to win a first-round match, beating Belinda Bencic of Switzerland 6-1, 4-6, 7-5.She may have been the luckiest of them all.The 30-year-old, who upset Venus Williams at the Olympics, had lost in the second round of qualifying in New Haven. But she was moved into the main draw after Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko withdrew earlier in the day with a right knee injury.Flipkens had been hanging around the Connecticut Tennis Center since that Saturdays defeat just to get some practice in before the U.S. Open. She signed in at 11:30 a.m. and found out at noon she would be playing a match.The first thing I had to do is get my rackets done, she said. Luckily I had my match shirts and everything with me.She dominated the first set over a rusty Bencic, who is coming off a left wrist injury and was playing her second competitive match since Wimbledon.But the 19-year-old, who had been ranked as high as No. 7 in the world earlier this year, came back and was up 5-2 in the final set. It wass a more poised Flipkens who won the next five games as Bencic lost control, slamming her racket on the court on more than one occasion as the match slipped away.ddddddddddddI just knew I had to keep fighting, try to bring every ball back, Flipkens said. I could feel a little that it was going to be mental at the end.Another lucky loser, Johanna Larsson of Sweden, beat seventh-seeded Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland 7-5, 6-2.The 28-year-old got into the main draw when Russias Svetlana Kuznetsova withdrew with a shoulder injury.You get a second chance and you just want to take it, she said. Im very happy that I made it happen today.Larsson had lost every set in four previous meetings with Bacsinszky, who came in ranked No. 16 in the world.Olympic doubles champions Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina of Russia became the first players to advance to the third round of the singles competition.Vesnina was leading Anett Kontaveit 6-4, 1-0 when the 20-year-old Estonian withdrew with a left thigh injury.Makarova beat qualifier Anatasija Sevastova of Latvia 6-3, 6-2.Were focusing on the singles matches just before the U.S. Open and want to get some wins, Vesnina said. So its great that both of us are still in the draw and still winning and its a good preparation for the U.S. Open, as well.Vesnina will play Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, who won the last match of the day, 6-3, 6-1 over Evgenya Rodina of Russia. Svitolina is playing some of her best tennis coming off her upset of Serena Williams at the Olympics. ' ' '