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U.S. hits new low with loss to Serbia in classification round

Jesse D. Garrabrant / National Basketball Association / Getty

With a 94-89 victory in the classification round Thursday, Serbia added to Team USA's misery at the FIBA World Cup.

The Serbians will move on to play for fifth while the Americans will finish no higher than seventh - their lowest placing in a major tournament since NBA players were allowed to participate in 1992. The U.S. finished sixth when they hosted the 2002 World Cup.

With the loss, Team USA has also dropped back-to-back games for the first time since 2002.

Serbia appeared to have put the Americans away in the first quarter, outscoring their opponents 32-7. However, the U.S. countered with a 33-12 second quarter and were within three points heading into the final frame.

But the Serbs' 3-point shooting was simply too much for Team USA to overcome. Sacramento Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic scored a game-high 28 points, including seven of the fourth-ranked nation's 15 triples. His NBA teammate Harrison Barnes had 22 points, five boards, and four assists in a losing cause.

Serbia and the U.S. were considered legitimate threats to win it all and competed in the gold-medal game at the 2016 Olympics. Heading into the World Cup, Serbian head coach Sasha Djordjevic made it no secret his team wasn't afraid to go up against the Americans.

"Let’s let (Team USA) play their basketball and we will play ours, and if we meet, may God help them," Djordjevic said during an interview with Serbian national television.

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