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RIO DE JANEIRO -- The nail-biters ended for the U.S. Olympic mens basketball team.So did a golden era of international basketball.Emphatically stopping a stretch of three straight close games, the Americans advanced to the semifinals by sprinting past Manu Ginobili and Argentina 105-78 on Wednesday night.In front of a chanting, flag-waving crowd of Argentines who came to throw a raucous farewell party for their Golden Generation, the Americans delivered their most complete performance in Rio.What a remarkable run by Argentina and so we knew we had to match that energy tonight. I thought we did, U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski said.Turning a slow start into an early ending with a 27-2 run in the first half, the Americans put away one old rival and set up a meeting with another. They will play Spain on Friday in a rematch of the last two gold-medal games. Australia meets Serbia in the other semifinal.Kevin Durant scored 27 points for the Americans, who had played three straight close games for the first time under Krzyzewski, setting off a round of questions at home and in Rio de Janeiro about what was wrong with them.The answer might be nothing. At least there wasnt against Argentina.We wanted to come out and our whole thing was dominating, forward Carmelo Anthony said.The Americans eliminated Argentina for the third straight Olympics, this time ending not only a tournament run for the Argentines but also a couple of careers.Ginobili, 39, and longtime teammate Andres Nocioni, 36, retired from international competition after the game, 12 years after winning gold in Athens.We had a chance to grow up together and do some good things, win some games together. It was fun. Its a lot of years, said Luis Scola, who is also 36 but plans to keep playing. We formed part of something unique we did for our country and its going to be there. Sometimes were not going to win, like today. Sometimes we won, but we fought together for many years.Ginobili scored 14 points in his final game in Argentinas blue and white, tearing up after receiving applause from his fans and warm wishes from his opponents.They congratulated me and Im very proud of their words, Ginobili said. They were very kind, very respectful and when legends of the game showed their respect, it has an extra value.The Americans have won 23 straight in the Olympics since Argentina beat them in the 2004 semifinals, and this was how they usually do it: too much firepower, too much defense and way too much talent.It took a little while to get going, as Argentina opened a 10-point lead. The Argentines made nine of their first 10 shots inside the arc and led 19-9 when Nocioni drilled a 3-pointer. But the Americans finished the first period with a 16-2 run, getting the final six points from DeMarcus Cousins, to take a 25-21 edge to the second.Three-point plays by Cousins and Jimmy Butler around Durants 3-pointer in an 11-0 start to the second made it 36-21 before Facundo Campazzo stopped the onslaught with a three-point play.Cousins, the normal starting center playing as a reserve, finished with 15 points.Spain beat France 92-67 earlier Wednesday, its fourth straight victory after two losses to open the Olympics. The U.S. edged Spain 118-107 in the 2008 final and 107-100 four years ago in London.The loudest crowd yet for a U.S. game, featuring boxer Floyd Mayweather and NBA commissioner Adam Silver, was treated to an explosive performance by the Americans, with devastating crossovers by Durant and Kyrie Irving that left defenders helpless and brought teammates to their feet on the bench.They opened a 25-point lead in the first half and were in control from that point, the first time since their second game in Rio they had it easy.We fed off wanting to play better than the last three games, Durant said.Ginobili, Scola, Nocioni and Carlos Delfino, the remaining Golden Generation players, checked in together for a last run with about 4? minutes left. Argentina fans danced, cheered and completely ignored the crooked numbers on the scoreboard while saying one long goodbye.Ginobili was replaced a few minutes later, hugging teammates, coaches and after the game Krzyzewski, before returning to the court after the teams had headed to their locker rooms to be presented a game ball by an Olympic official.Even Argentinas proud veterans didnt consider themselves medal contenders, especially after the Americans blew them out 111-74 in an exhibition game last month in Las Vegas and came to Rio as the overwhelming favorite.But once play began, the U.S. rarely played up to those expectations, with one narrow victory after another as the competition toughened. The Americans held off Australia by 10, then pulled out three-point victories over Serbia and France.They were finally in top form Wednesday.Now they have to stay there for two more games.Weve got to build on it, Durant said, but were not satisfied at all. Langston Galloway Jersey .S District Court against Major League Baseball, the Office of the Commissioner and his own union, the MLBPA. Mitchell Robinson Jersey .C. -- Manny Malhotra had two goals and an assist, leading the Carolina Hurricanes to a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. https://www.cheapknicks.com/ . In taking its goal tally to 99 in all competitions already this season, City delivered another demonstration of its lethal firepower at Etihad Stadium to set up a fourth-round match at home to another second-tier team -- Watford. Tim Hardaway Jr. Jersey . "We have always prided ourselves on the way we play defence. Having two big pieces back is going to be a key for us moving forward for years to come," said Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen. Iman Shumpert Jersey . Aduriz headed home Markel Susaetas cross in the sixth minute to open the scoring at San Mames Stadium. He bettered that with a long-range blast that went in off the goal frame in the 18th, and converted a penalty in the 72nd after Diego Mainz was sent off for fouling Aduriz with only the goalkeeper to beat. TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- If Ryan Anderson and Alabamas defense treat opposing offensive players hatefully, its not personal.Its just business.Its what defenders do, said Anderson, a Crimson Tide linebacker. Mostly, were all hateful guys. We hate everybody on the other team. Everybody thats lined up across from us, we hate you; were trying to kill you.No. 1 Alabama certainly played with that sort of ferocity last Saturday in shutting out LSU and smothering star tailback Leonard Fournette -- again. Afterward, when coach Nick Saban said the Tide has some pretty hateful guys on defense, he meant it as a compliment.Tide defenders certainly didnt take offense to their coachs comments.Alabama leads the nations in rushing defense and sacks per game and is second in total yards allowed and scoring defense going into Saturdays game against Mississippi State.And hatin with a vengeance. Anderson might have stated it more strongly than Saban would prefer, but the coach doesnt want his defensive guys playing nice so long as they play by the rules.We want a guy thats going to go hit a guy that weighs 250 pounds running downhill as hard as he can hit him, the coach said.Saban tells the story of his time with the NFLs Cleveland Browns when the franchise brought in a guy to administer a psychological test to draft prospects. Chances are he didnt interpret the results quite the same way as, say, an accounting firm.I looked at the guy and said, `What are we hiring these guys to do? We want them to be aggressive, we want them to be competitive, not in the real world but at least on the football field, Saban said. These characteristics are important in defensive players. Were evaluating these guys as to what theyre like on Sundays, which may not be the same.For instance, off the field it wouldnt have been socially acceptable when ddefensive tackle DaRon Payne completely disrupted one first-half play after sending LSU guard Josh Boutte tumbling onto his backside.dddddddddddd On the field, it was Alabama being Alabama.The Tide held LSU to 125 yards and six first downs in a 10-0 victory, earning the entire defense Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week honors. Its only the second time that award has gone to a defense collectively.The dominating performance came after star safety Eddie Jackson was lost for the season with a broken leg. A defense that also lost four second-round draft picks to the NFL after last season just keeps on trucking.The defenses mental makeup was apparent in a game that was scoreless at halftime. LSU went nowhere on three drives starting near or across midfield, including the Tigers first possession. They took over at Alabamas 33-yard line and gained 1 yard before missing a field goal.The Tide yielded only 35 yards to Fournette on 17 rushes, four more than he gained in last seasons meeting. Anderson was named the SEC defensive player of the week.Alabama, meanwhile, is giving up 66 yards a game on the ground.People play within the defense. Weve all got one goal, said Anderson, who leads the team in tackles for loss. I feel like this teams goals are more team-oriented. Guys arent talking about wanting 100 tackles, 60 tackles. Guys just want to stop the run, stop the pass, stop everybody we play.And if that effort is fueled by a healthy dose of hate, thats OK with Alabama.Our front seven is very hateful, especially the D-linemen, cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. They just play mad, to me.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 . ' ' '