U.S. women coast into basketball semis

BEIJING, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- A three-pointer by Kara Lawson touched off a big second period Tuesday that sent the U.S. Olympic women's basketball team sailing past South Korea 104-60.

The Americans, who have been unchallenged thus far in the tournament, earned a spot in the semifinals. They will play Russia, which pulled away late for an 87-65 victory over Spain.

China also reached the semifinals with a 77-62 victory over Belarus and Australia advanced with a 79-46 decision over the Czech Republic. The semifinals will be played on Thursday.

Sylvia Fowles, who led LSU to four straight trips to the Final Four, paced the United States with 26 points and both Larson and Cappie Pondexter had 11.

South Korea trailed by only four after one period, but Lawson ignited the Americans with a three-pointer 37 seconds into the second. The United States outscored the South Koreans in the quarter 26-9.

The United States is trying for its fourth straight Olympic gold medal in women's basketball.

Including this year, the Americans have lost only once in the last seven Olympics -- that being in the semifinals against Cuba in 1992.