RIO DE JANEIRO (Rio 2016 Olympic Games) - Maya Moore and Diana Taurasi each had 19 points each as the USA beat Japan 110-64 to reach the Semi-Finals for the ninth consecutive straight time, but Moore admitted they needed to step up to avoid an upset.

"Japan doesn't stop playing," said Moore. "If anyone watches their game, they shoot threes, they do step-backs. They are a crafty team. They play hard, they play together, they have a high awareness of where each other are on the court. It’s a team that knows who they are.

"They are here in the Olympics for a reason. Maybe some immature teams might think that this shouldn't be happening but we're not wasting time thinking about what others say."

Late in the second quarter, Japan cut the deficit to 48-46, but the reigning Olympic champions felt it was about time to stick to the game plan that makes the Americans favourite in Rio.

"We knew that's the type of team that we were facing. No panic, you are frustrated a little bit but because you want to play better and you don't want teams to go on runs, but this [USA] team is way too experience to panic."

The USA will take on the winners of the last Quarter-Finals between Canada and France in Thursday's Semi-Finals.

"We played both of them stateside when we were warming up for the Olympics," Moore pointed out. "Both teams are teams that we are familiar with and, it will be a fun matchup to watch."

FIBA