Ruthless USA score 145 points to set Women’s Basketball World Cup record

A’ja Wilson and the US put on quite a show on Monday in Sydney, breaking the World Cup scoring mark in a record rout of South Korea.

Brionna Jones scored 24 points and Wilson added 20 to help the US beat South Korea 145-69. Shakira Austin’s layup with nine seconds left helped the Americans break Brazil’s record of 143 points set in 1990.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been part of a team that can score the basketball like this,” Wilson said. “This is crazy, we put up 145 points. I think when you look at us and just knowing how talented we are, we just came together and we play together very, very well.”

The US have the most talented and deepest roster of any team in the World Cup with 12 WNBA stars on the roster. Still, the Americans had never come close to that sort of offensive output during their storied World Cup history. Their previous team record was 119 points against Angola in 2014 and China in 2006. The scoring margin was also the biggest in US history as well, surpassing the 75-point win over Angola in 2014.

The win was the 26th in a row in World Cup play for the Americans, who haven’t lost since the 2006 semi-finals when they fell to Russia. The US also won 26 in a row from 1994 to 2006. The Soviet Union hold the World Cup record with 56 straight wins from 1959-1986.

What started with Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi and Sylvia Fowles has now been passed on to Breanna Stewart and Wilson. A legacy of excellence that doesn’t look like it’s ending anytime soon.

The US, who have been playing stellar defense, were challenged by South Korea early. The teams traded baskets for the first eight minutes and it was tied at 21 before the Americans took control, scoring the final 11 points of the period. Kahleah Copper came off the bench