A'ja Wilson has scored 22 points and Breanna Stewart added 17 to help the US beat France 93-82 in the women's basketball competition at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday.
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The win was the 52nd in a row for the Americans dating back to the bronze medal game of the 1992 Games in Barcelona.
The US, stacked with WNBA talent, went undefeated in group play - albeit not in the dominant fashion the team is used to - and advanced to the quarter-finals. The Americans (3-0) haven't lost a game in group play since women's basketball was added to the Olympics in 1976.
"It wasn't a must win, but we always want to win," Stewart said.
"To have that momentum going into the quarter-finals, This is where we start to peak."
Even with the loss, France (1-2) advanced to the last eight because of point differential with the other third-place teams. The team had to lose by 14 points or less to advance.
Elsewhere on Monday, Japan also locked a seeding in the next stage with a 102-83 win over Nigeria, who exited winless in the Group B prelims.
In Group C, China defeated Belgium 74-62 to stay perfect and finish top, but both progressed, while Australia dramatically beat Puerto Rico 96-69.
The Opals needed to win by 25 points to pip Canada for the final slot, and triumphed by 27, to join Spain and Serbia in the quarters which take place on Wednesday.
Australian Associated Press
