Alexa Philippou
Michael Voepel
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Michael Voepel
ESPN.com
- Michael Voepel covers the WNBA, women’s college basketball, and other college sports for espnW. Voepel began covering women’s basketball in 1984, and has been with ESPN since 1996.
The U.S. women’s basketball team continues to do what it does best: win. The Americans are now 40 minutes away from making history.
Team USA cruised to an 85-64 win Friday over Australia in the semifinals of the Paris Olympics, marking the program’s 60th consecutive Olympic victory.
The Americans will now play for an eighth-consecutive, and 10th overall, Olympic gold medal Sunday, against either host France or Belgium.
The U.S. and Australia have met nine times in the Olympics; each contest has had the same result: a Team USA win.
The Opals, who have six active WNBA players on their roster and are led by New York Liberty coach Sandy Brondello, will also play Sunday for their third Olympic bronze medal, and sixth medal overall.
As we head toward the final event of the Paris Olympics, ESPN’s Alexa Philippou and Michael Voepel break down what went right for Team USA in the semifinal win, and what to expect from the upcoming gold medal showdown.
Easily Team USA’s best performance yet
Even as it defeated opponents by double figures and largely looked like the best team in the field, slow starts or in-game consistency had been issues for Team USA. Until this semifinal.
From the jump, the U.S. women were aggressive defensively — which fueled their transition game and helped build an early lead. By the end of the first quarter, they already had 14 fast-break points and had forced six Opals turnovers. Following a 25-11 second quarter, the U.S. was restricting Australia to just 33% from the field (compared to its own 53%) and the Opals were down 45-27.
“It’s like she’s got SIX ARMS right now.” – Noah Eagle
A’ja Wilson with her FOURTH block of the first half! 🇺🇸😤
📺 NBC and Peacock | #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/ZTRWfvGvcf
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 9, 2024
The dominance continued through the third and early fourth quarters, where Team USA built a 30-point lead before Australia’s reserves made things a bit closer in garbage time. At the final buzzer, Team USA’s shooting clip sat at 50% and the Opals’ at 36%. Australia’s 64 points were the fewest allowed by the U.S. women this Olympics, and their 21-point win their second largest after beating Japan by 26 in the opener. Also of note: It was the U.S.’s second-straight and third overall win without trailing this Olympics.
If Team USA brings this defensive intensity into the final, and can use it to play in the open floor, it should have no problem taking home gold. — Alexa Philippou
The Americans shared the ball exceptionally well
What better way to utilize this much talent on a team than having everybody get in on the act? From a passing standpoint, that’s exactly what happened: 11 of the 12 players on Team USA had at least one assist. (Guard Diana Taurasi is the only one who didn’t.)
Three of the starting five had five assists each: point guard Chelsea Gray, guard Jackie Young and forward Breanna Stewart. In all, the Americans had 31 assists, and everyone except Taurasi scored. There isn’t a defense in the world that can challenge this team when it moves the ball that well. The U.S. team is able to wear out and frustrate even the best defenders. — Michael Voepel
The Americans just need to stay in the moment for the gold
We have seen this show so many times now, in both the Olympics and the FIBA World Cup. The U.S. women never have a lot of preparation together as a team, and yet their chemistry always comes together. Does it help to have four players from one WNBA team on this Olympic squad? Of course: A’ja Wilson, Young, Gray and Kelsey Plum of the two-time defending champion Aces have brought that vibe.
The players’ commitment to USA Basketball turns WNBA rivals into tight-knit teammates for a couple of weeks right in the middle of their league season. Against either France or Belgium Sunday, the United States will be the “road” team — yet there’s never any worry about the headspace the Americans are in. It’s always positive and confident. They are the best team in the Olympic tournament, by a lot. They just have to play like that for another 40 minutes. — Voepel
