Australia secure top spot

Captain Lauren Jackson and Belinda Snell combined for 32 points as the Australians beat European champions Russia 75-55 after trailing by 10 points at halftime.

"When you look up at the scoreboard and see your dream slipping away it motivates you," Jackson told reporters after her team made it five wins out of five in Group A.

"We just stuck with it. We need to win this game so badly. We put a scare into ourselves."

Australia, bidding to stop the United States winning their fourth straight Olympic title, next play the fourth-ranked team in Group B in the quarter-finals.

American-born Becky Hammon, who took Russian citizenship to play at the Beijing Games, scored 20 points but only four in the second half as the Australians stepped up their defence.

"We started trapping her," said Jackson, a long-time WNBA rival of Hammon's. "I've played against her for eight years and she's a stud. You've got to force the ball out of her hands."

Russia, who had also already qualified for the quarter-finals, finished runners-up in Group A and will still be expected to contest the medal places.

Spain booked their place in the last eight by thrashing winless Mali 79-47 in Group B.

Gold medal favourites the U.S. should have few problems beating New Zealand in Sunday's late game to extend their run to 5-0.

The top four from the two groups of six teams advance to the last eight.