US women overwhelm Canada

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) — Diana Taurasi scored 14 points and Elena Delle Donne added 12 to help the U.S. women's basketball team beat Canada 83-43 on Friday night in an exhibition game.

After struggling in their first two exhibition games in the first half, the Americans jumped all over their neighbors to the north.

The U.S. only had a three-point lead on the select team in their pre-Olympic tour opener Monday and led France by one Wednesday at the half. The Americans wouldn't let that happen against Canada.

Geno Auriemma started the five UConn alums much to the delight of the Connecticut fans who turned out in force to send off the Americans to the Rio Olympics next week. Taurasi, Sue Bird, Maya Moore, Tina Charles and Breanna Stewart struggled a little offensively when they were in, but defensively they shut down Canada.

The Canadians missed 13 of their first 14 shots and couldn't recover from the slow start, trailing by 13 after one quarter and 24 at the half.

Auriemma had always seemed to shy away from playing all his UConn players at the same time during the 2012 London Olympics and the last two world championships. He rarely ever had five UConn players on the court in either of those major championships. But just as he did starting Delle Donne in Delaware on Wednesday, he gave the fans one more opportunity to cheer the local favorites. The loud crowd gave the former Huskies a loud ovation in pregame introductions and then cheered every one of their great plays.

The offensive highlight of the first half came from Delle Donne, who threw a nifty no-look pass to Taurasi for a layup.

Canada finished fifth in the world championship in 2014 and will look to