Australia's women's basketball team has exited the Olympics in the quarter-finals for the second straight time, beaten handily by Team USA 79-55.
The Opals only made it into the knockout games courtesy of a big win over Puerto Rico in their final match of the group stage, but they could not overcome the all-conquering Americans, who have won the past six women's basketball gold medals.
During that streak, which started in Atlanta in 1996, the Opals have been regular medallists behind the US, winning three silver (2000-2008) and two bronze (1996, 2012).
But the last two Australian teams have struggled to scale those heights.
The team lost a tense 73-71 quarter-final to Serbia at Rio 2016, but this year's loss looked over in the first quarter as the days of that famous Australia-US rivalry seemed a distant memory.
Wednesday's quarter-final always appeared a tough assignment for an Opals side that had a tough lead-up to the Games with the late withdrawal of star centre Liz Cambage.
And despite a pre-tournament win over their rivals, the last-eight clash proved too much for the Opals.
The US jumped out to a 21-6 lead in the opening minutes and never let up.
The Opals shot just 30 per cent from the field as the US defence strangled them out of the game.
Ezi Magbegor and Marianna Tolo had been forces for Australia during the Games, but they were not able to have their usual impact, with US bigs Brittney Griner, Breanna Stewart, Tina Charles and Sylvia Fowles limiting them to a combined 11 points and three rebounds.
Stewart poured in 23 points at the other end, while Griner was the second-most prolific US scorer with 15 as the Americans shot 49 per cent from the field to extend their Olympic winning streak to a whopping 53 games.
Australia's basketball hopes now lie with the men, who also face the US in a semi-final showdown on Thursday afternoon.
