UConn legend Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm

had seven of Team USA's 28 assists,

including this no-look pass to Kelsey

Plum of the Las Vegas Aces.

BAH´IA BLANCA, Argentina—After starting off slowly, the USA Women's National Team (1-0) found its stride and shooting eye one minute into the second quarter and marched on to earn a 76-61 victory over Brazil (0-1) Thursday evening in FIBA Pre-Olympic Qualifying play in Bahía Blanca, Argentina. After starting off slowly, the USA Women's National Team (1-0) found its stride and shooting eye one minute into the second quarter and marched on to earn a 76-61 victory over Brazil (0-1) Thursday evening in FIBA Pre-Olympic Qualifying play in Bahía Blanca, Argentina.

“Brazil sped us up a little bit to start the game,” said USA co-coach Dan Hughes (Seattle Storm). “We were kind of getting in our own way by turning the ball over a little bit. We really didn't get a normal flow to start off. We did a much better job as the game went on of playing, seeing the defense and making the appropriate play, and our players really adjusted.

“The turnovers (22)… we owned those a little bit, but you have got to give Brazil credit,” he continued. “[Damiris] Dantas was very, very good in the first half and really made us pay defensively.”

Sylvia Fowles (Minnesota Lynx/Louisiana State), who was simply en fuego with a 10-for-11 performance from the floor to go along with six rebounds, and Chelsea Gray (Los Angeles Sparks/Duke), who drained 8-of-12 shots including 4-of-5 from beyond the three-point arc, each accounted for 21 points, while Nneka Ogwumike (Los Angeles Sparks/Stanford) added 11 points. (Minnesota Lynx/Louisiana State), who was simplywith a 10-for-11 performance from the floor to go along with six rebounds, and(Los Angeles Sparks/Duke), who drained 8-of-12 shots including 4-of-5 from beyond the three-point arc, each accounted for 21 points, while(Los Angeles Sparks/Stanford) added 11 points.

“Our bigs did a great job of battling, running up and down the court and getting easy baskets,” said Gray. “There was a lot of post play where they were passing post to post when the defense collapsed, which I think is great. It was a great effort, great ‘D.’ Credit to Brazil, though. They were fighting hard and making us really work for it.”

Shooting an abysmal 5-of-17 from the floor in the first quarter, the USA trailed Brazil 15-10 when the horn ended the first stanza. Brazil opened the second quarter with a basket to push its advantage to 17-10, and the USA finally amped-up its defense and started connecting on shots.

Behind eight points from Gray, who tallied 11 points in the second quarter, the USA outscored Brazil 14-3 to take a 24-20 lead with 4:52 remaining in the half, and took a 33-31 lead into the locker room at intermission. The U.S. shot a blazing 75.0 percent (9-for-12) in the second stanza, including a perfect 4-for-4 from beyond the arc.

“Our team really competed in the second half,” said Hughes. “Our post players really played well with each other inside. Chelsea Gray was so essential in this game because she was a key playmaker in both halves. Then, you look inside at Sylvia [Fowles] and Nneka [Ogwumike], and especially in the second half they really had energy that we played to. And then, when it started getting close, we brought Sue Bird in, and that’s a pretty solidifying force to bring into the game.”

Leading 43-40 with 4:44 to play in the third stanza, Team USA got points from five different players and closed the period with an 11-3 run to take control of the contest, 54-43.

The U.S. built a 17-point advantage, 64-47, with 6:45 remaining in regulation when Brazil mounted one last charge with a 9-0 run that cut the deficit to eight, 64-56 with 4:17 to play.

Former UConn star Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx), the 2009 WNBA Rookie of the Year, ended Brazil’s surge with a traditional three-point play with 3:55 remaining, and Team USA went on to earn the 76-61 victory.

“It helped to have played Brazil last month at the AmeriCup,” said Fowles, who helped hold Brazil to just 22 points in the paint. “We wanted to take away all the things they did so well last month. So, coming in tonight I wanted to limit all their post-play touches.”

The USA’s unselfish play, which resulted in 28 assists on 30 field goals and five non ‘and-one’ trips to the line, was led by Gray’s eight and Sue Bird’s (Seattle Storm/Connecticut) seven dimes.