Summary US women's basketball team beat Australia 73-56 to win third successive world title on Sunday.
TENERIFE (AFP) - The United States women s basketball team, who have not lost an international match for more than 12 years, swept to a third successive world title on Sunday with a 73-56 victory over Australia.
The six-time Olympic champions also took their winning streak to 51 matches.
In the match for third place, European champions Spain defeated Belgium 67-60.
The Americans, with coach Dawn Staley at the helm for the first time, have now won the world championship 10 times in 18 editions.
Sunday s final was billed as a clash between two players both of whom tower over two metres -- Brittney Griner of the US (2.06m) and Australian star Liz Cambage (2.03m).
It was Griner s night as Cambage, who had scored 33 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in the semi-final win against Spain on Saturday, saw her threat neutralised by the Americans impressive defence which allowed her only seven points.
"A lot of people see that we ve won a lot of games in a row now and gold medals but it s not as easy as it looks," said 37-year-old US star Sue Bird.
"We take a lot of pride in the way we play and a lot of credit goes to the other countries because if they continue to get better they will just continue to push us to get better and that s what it s all about."
