* Mills paces Australia (Adds quotes, detail)
RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Australia was first through to the semi-finals of the men's basketball tournament on Wednesday, pounding Lithuania 90-64 to close in on what has been an elusive Olympic medal.
A day after hot medal favourites Australia were surprised by Serbia in the women's basketball quarter-finals, the Boomers provided an upset of their own - knocking off third-ranked Lithuania to advance to the medal round.
By ranking, at number 11, Australia may have been the underdog on paper but they have been one of top teams at the Olympic tournament and showed their class against Lithuania as they rolled to a 48-30 halftime lead and cruised to an easy win.