On a day when both Germany and France announced themselves as medal contenders with emphatic opening victories, the U.S. women's basketball team entered its first game of the Paris Olympics looking to deliver a message that it's still in a class of its own.

Mission accomplished.

It didn't start as smoothly as head coach Cheryl Reeve would've wanted, but Team USA eventually found the afterburners, riding a dominant frontcourt performance from A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart to a 102-76 win over reigning silver medalist Japan.

Japan came out at a frenetic pace, hoping to speed the U.S. up and devolve the game into chaos. And for a little while, it worked: The Americans too frequently allowed themselves to get frustrated, trying to make the spectacular play rather than the simple one, and some hot shooting from Mai Yamamoto had Japan hanging around within five late in the second quarter.

But the U.S.'s physical advantages were always obvious, especially down low against an undersized Japanese frontcourt, and once the sloppiness subsided the rout was on.

"We always say the most physical team normally gets the win," Wilson said. "So we had to come out and establish ourselves on the stage that we're on, and I think we did a good job of that today."

Team USA went to the half up 11, then ran out to a 27-17 start to the third that put the game to bed. There was simply no answer for Wilson and Stewart: The two combined to put up 46 points, 14 rebounds and seven blocks on 21-for-31 from the field, at times just playing volleyball under the rim.

"It's amazing to play with A'Ja," Stewart said. "Her and I are just continuing to create this two-women tandem on the court: looking for each other, high-low, running the floor and really making it difficult for the other team."

Point guard Chelsea Gray recognized the mismatch early and often, winding up with a game-high 13 assists. Kelsey Plum and Sabrina Ionescu were effective and aggressive picking their spots, adding a combined 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting.

When was the last time the U.S. women's basketball team lost in the Olympics?

The win on Monday ran the U.S. women's Olympic winning streak to a whopping 56 games, spanning the last eight Games. The team's last lost came all the way back in Barcelona in 1992, a 79-73 defeat to the Unified Team that relegated Team USA to a bronze medal — the last time they failed to win gold.

When does the U.S. women's basketball team play next?

The Americans' next game comes on Thursday, Aug. 1, against a Belgian team that was routed by Germany earlier in the day but that boasts one of the best players in the world in Emma Meesseman. Japan, meanwhile, will match up with Germany.