INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Team USA is dominating the World Basketball Championships as the Americans put the clamps on New Zealand in the second half and rolled to a 110-62 victory Tuesday that kept them unbeaten in the tournament and clinched a spot in the quarterfinals.
Michael Finley of Dallas and Paul Pierce of Boston scored 20 points apiece to lead the United States, which has won all five of its games and vaulted to the top of Group F.
After toying through the first half, Team USA held New Zealand scoreless for a 6:35 stretch late in the third quarter, rattling off 17 straight points to open a 72-48 lead.
Leading 75-52 entering the final period, the Americans again shut down the Kiwis for 3 1/2 minutes, building their lead to 31 points. New Zealand scored just 20 points in the second half and shot 35 percent (23-of-65) from the field overall.
In the tournament, the U.S. is allowing an average of 71.2 points per game while holding foes to less than 40 percent shooting. It is outrebounding opponents by 12 per game.
Phoenix's Shawn Marion scored 16 points and Detroit's Ben Wallace grabbed 13 rebounds for Team USA, which next faces Argentina on Thursday in a battle of the only two unbeaten teams in the tournament.
Miami center Sean Marks, New Zealand's best player, sat out with an eye injury as the Kiwis fell to 0-2.
New Zealand led by as much as six points in the first half and trailed just 48-42 at halftime. Finley scored 16 points in the first half.
In other Group F games, Argentina (2-0) kept pace with the U.S., knocking off Germany, 86-77. Andres Noccioni scored 19 points off the bench to lead five players in double figures for the Argentines, who have won all five of their games.
Germany's Dirk Nowitzki, the All-Star forward of the Dallas Mavericks and the best player in the tournament, had 21 points and 10 rebounds. But Nowitzki made just 3-of-17 shots, including 0-of-8 from 3-point range.
Also, Russia (1-1) kept alive hopes for a quarterfinal berth with a 95-68 rout of China (0-2). Despite the presence of 7-5 Yao Ming, the Chinese have virtually no chance of advancing.
In Group E, Puerto Rico (2-0) continued its surprising run with a 73-65 victory over previously unbeaten Spain. Carlos Arroyo and Antonio Latimer scored 18 points each for Puerto Rico, which was coming off Monday's upset of Yugoslavia and is the only unbeaten team in the group.
NBA Rookie of the Year Pau Gasol scored 16 points for Spain, which had won its first four games.
Brazil (1-1) fell from the unbeaten ranks with a 90-69 loss to Yugoslavia. Sacramento Kings All-Star forward Peja Stojakovic scored 19 points to lead a balanced attack for the Yugoslavs (1-1), who with five NBA players remain the biggest threat to the Americans.
Turkey (1-1) bounced back nicely with an 86-66 victory over Angola. Former NBA player Mirsad Turkcan scored 26 points for the Turks, who broke open a close game by holding Angola (0-2) to eight points in the third quarter.
Turkey began second-round play with a loss to unbeaten Spain but still can advance to the quarterfinals by beating Yugoslavia on Wednesday in what should be a heated battle.
In relegation games, Canada claimed 13th place with a 98-97 victory over Venezuela. Michael Meeks scored 20 points, including a driving layup with 7.9 seconds left.
Lebanon finished last in the 16-team tournament with a 100-70 loss to Algeria. In their first World Championships, the Lebanese went 0-5 and fired coach Johnny Neumann - the former NBA and ABA player - following a winless first round.
The top four teams from Group E and Group F advance to the quarterfinals, which begin Thursday.
The tournament began last Thursday, with Yugoslavia and perhaps Argentina given the best chance of toppling Team USA.
