The United States basketball team ended its run in the World Basketball Championship with an 81-78 loss to Yugoslavia Thursday night. The United States will now face Puerto Rico in the classification round.
The United States, who had a 58-game winning streak prior to the loss against Argentina, let a 10-point lead slip in the final six minutes of the game.
One repercussion of the loss is that the United States must now qualify to compete in the 2004 Olympics at the Panamerican Qualifying Tournament in 2003.
Yugoslavia will now face New Zealand in the semifinals. The Kiwis WBC, defeated Puerto Rico 65-63. The team boasts UW senior guard Kirk Penney, a native of Auckland, New Zealand.
This is New Zealand's first trip to the semifinals in team history.
