The United States needed to come out focused on Thursday night as they took on Nigeria in Pool A Play in London. In what was a record-shattering performance, Team USA hoops dominated as they went on to win by a score of 156-73.
Yes, 156 to 73. Not a typo. That number not only broke the American record for points, but also the Olympics record.
The scoring outburst was led by Carmelo Anthony, who set the record with points and 3-pointers (10). Andre Iguodala, a former standout with the Arizona Wildcats, scored the baskets that both broke the US scoring record (126) and Olympic record (137). James Harden, a former ASU Sun Devil, also had a very good game off the bench.
As a team, the United States hit 29 threes. They dished out 41 assists and hit 83% of their shots from inside the arc. The score was 49-25 after the first quarter, and the US outscored Nigeria 78-28 in the second half.
Simply put, it was a complete and total annihilation in London.
Check out SI's complete medal tracker here. That link will not only keep you updated on the medal count throughout the day, but also lets you see the final results from previous Olympics.
Stick with this StoryStream for more coverage of local athletes at the 2012 Olympic Games. For more on the 2012 Olympic Games, make sure that you check out SB Nation's dedicated Olympics hub.