Image via WikipediaOSTRAVA, Czech Republic -- Usually when the U.S. women's basketball team faces Australia in the world championship, a medal is at stake.
Australia star Lauren Jackson, who has never beaten the U.S., found it strange to be playing them before the medal rounds.
Sylvia Fowles scored 15 points and Diana Taurasi added 14 to help the U.S. win 107-61. Candice Dupree had 12 and Swin Cash 11 in another balanced offensive effort by the U.S., which shot 68 percent.
After watching his team get off to slow starts in the last two games, U.S. coach Geno Auriemma changed his starting lineup, inserting Dupree and Tina Charles. The move paid off as the pair combined to score the team's first 10 points and the U.S. (5-0) took a 23-6 lead in the game's first 7 minutes.
"We made a couple changes in the starting lineup to give us a new look and it worked great," Auriemma said.
With the game tied 6-6, Dupree started a 17-0 run with a turnaround jumper and a layup. Taurasi followed with a 3-pointer and another basket. She capped the spurt with two free throws with 3 minutes left in the quarter.
