USA aims to reclaim gold at women's hoops worlds
OSTRAVA, Czech Republic (AP) - The U.S. women's basketball team isn't the defending world basketball champion, a rarity in the last two decades.
Only Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings, and Diana Taurasi remain from that 2006 bronze-medal team, but that disappointing finish is at the forefront of the minds of the players on this squad.
The U.S. will open group play on Thursday against Greece, which is making its first appearance in the world championship.
The Americans, who haven't gone consecutive worlds without winning a gold medal since 1971-75, didn't get much time as a team to prepare for this tournament. Yet there's a familiarity among the players, with half the squad having played under coach Geno Auriemma at Connecticut.
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