Team USA got past Australia in yesterday's friendly match at Mohegan Sun. The Americans ruled the boards, and Parker ruled everybody (she finished with 23).

But the game also included 14 lead changes, against an Aussie squad without its Olympic stars; that made the match much closer than Sunday's blowout, and as Team USA heads down to Chile, they'll have some tinkering to do. "There is no Beijing [Olympics] if we don't win in Chile," coach Donovan explained: after losing the '06 World Championships, the Americans must qualify some other way.

Team USA may also have lost Augustus, who hurt her shoulder coming off a screen: "It popped out and popped back in," she said. "I'm going to have an MRI."

After the game, the Horde (a.k.a. Nutmeg State women's hoops reporters) trawled for other hoops news. Swin Cash says she might look good with the Sun, while Parker comments on the end of the UConn series: "That game was the one that everyone on our team looked forward to last year... That was the game that got the most attention. But I have to stand by my coach."