.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers women's university basketball and also the WNBA.Previously dealt with UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sunshine for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and Baltimore native with additional experience at the Dallas Early Morning Information, Seat Times as well as Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Elderly Person Writer Co-author, Pro Baseball Syllabus collection.Previously a specialist along with the Indiana Pacers.Built WARP ranking as well as SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo global competitors will reunite on Friday, as the USA ladies's basketball crew confronts the Australian Opals along with a place in the 2024 Paris Gamings' gold award match on the line.Team United States, which is riding a streak of 59 successive Olympic success, advanced to the semifinals along with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Observing a distressed loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung together 3 straight triumphes, including Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal choice over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the U.S. girls have been actually the gold criterion for basketball across the world, gaining seven successive Olympic gold medals as well as 9 overall, Australia has been actually a famous powerhouse along with them. The Opals have medaled in 5 of the past 7 Summers months Games, taking home 3 silvers and also two bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris marks the very first time they've advanced past the quarterfinals considering that the 2012 London Gamings.2012 likewise was the last opportunity the famous Lauren Jackson wore on the Olympic phase for the environment-friendly as well as gold-- until now. While Crew United States has 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, appearing in her fifth Video games as well as initially in 12 years. Jackson has actually constantly medaled in the competitors, as well as though she has viewed restricted action thus far in France, she possesses an odds to carry on that streak this weekend.Australia-- which flaunts six energetic WNBA players-- has plenty of momentum, but the Opals are actually 0-20 perpetuity versus the U.S. senior nationwide crew, featuring 0-8 in Olympic competitors. During the course of the five Gamings through which they medaled, Australia lost to the USA either in the semifinals or the gold award competition. The teams final fulfilled in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton break down a number of the pressing inquiries moving right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit reports Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Group USABreanna Stewart chats with Brian Windhorst after Group USA's 14-point get Nigeria to advance to the semifinals.Team U.S.A. changed up its own beginning 5 against Nigeria, with Jackie Youthful in place of Diana Taurasi. Carried out the relocation correct its issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Starting Young in place of Taurasi-- that possessed final go over the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the correct relocation. Along with 15 points versus Nigeria, Young appears to be taking a function as Team USA's third scorer responsible for A'ja Wilson as well as Breanna Stewart. (Indeed, Young is actually the simply other USA gamer averaging dual figures at 10.3 aspects per activity.) Young, one of 3 Sin city Aces players in the beginning five, displayed her 3-point capturing earlier against Germany, going 5-of-8. However while she went scoreless from deep-seated on Wednesday, it was her potential to obtain downhill and also reach coming from midrange that stood apart, together with her hallmark protection in the backcourt. It took until the center of the second fourth for the USA to actually place its own feet on the fuel versus Nigeria, but Youthful's aggression and electricity on both ends should remain to pay dividends. And also Taurasi seemed to carry out well off the seat, where she improved as a company along with 4 assists.Pelton: I will really love to see starting point guard Chelsea Gray be a hazard to rating. She overlooked all three of her chance efforts in the quarterfinals, bringing Gray to 1-of-13 up until now in the course of the Olympics. Amazingly, the united state outscored Nigeria through only 2 points in Gray's 17:27, while all four various other starters possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or much better while on the court.Still, as I pointed out in our last roundtable, the USA girls may get over one non-scorer in the beginning five as long as she is delivering something else to the desk. And Gray is actually with her playmaking, having actually now completed 22 helps against just 3 turn overs. Therefore, I don't presume instructor Cheryl Reeve requires to create more changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE by means of Getty ImagesWhat troubles carry out the Australians pose, and also what could make them a tough matchup?Top accounts of the full week from Acquire special access to countless superior posts a year coming from best writers. u2022 Solak: Fascinating NFL QB student course "u2022 MLB: Impressive AL MVP war, various other awards "u2022 25 essential gamers in CFP ethnicity" Even more ESPN+ material ".Philippou: WNBA followers will certainly be actually properly acquainted with this Opals squad, which features the Seat Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor and also Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Triggers' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne and also Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus New York Liberty trainer Sandy Brondello responsible. Not simply carry out the Opals have the skill to contend against Crew USA. They possess drive and also fix following their frustrating beginning to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been pleased with her team's grace and also guts over recent week, two premiums an enemy needs to have when encountering the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced attack flaunts 5 players averaging a minimum of 8.0 PPG, can hurt foes inside with Magbegor and also Smith yet additionally from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the greatest in the Olympic area and also considerably greater than Team U.S.A.'s puny 30.8%. Whitcomb as well as Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while along with the Sin City Aces, lead the team along with 8 and seven treys, respectively.Pelton: Theoretically, Australia is actually deeper and extra skilled than any crew in the business except for the united state females. We may dispute the most ideal international gamer at the Paris Video Games, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) as well as Satou Sabally (Germany) as powerful applicants. Yet no crew possesses a pair of gamers like the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and also Smith, each of whom would certainly have performed my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually not called to the crew this period even with identical production.) As well as no crew outside the U.S. possesses almost as much WNBA knowledge throughout its own roster.Given all that talent, it was surprising when Australia shed its own position activity to Nigeria after that barely trump winless Canada. In their previous 2 video games, our company have actually viewed the Opals our experts anticipated, as they trump exceeded France to advance to the knockout phase as well as led Serbia through as lots of as 28 in a lopsided quarterfinal victory.A' Ja recipes to Stewie for 3. LeBron accepts. United States Network and Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can any individual cease Breanna Stewart as well as A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. But if anybody is actually going to have them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor and also Smith. Australia's message gamers rate second (Magbegor, 2.4) and also 4th (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every activity as well as possess the wheelchair to speak up for Stewart as well as Wilson on the boundary. Magbegor is actually especially experienced versus both rivals, having faced Stewart virtual for 3 years as Hurricane teammates and also matched up with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The most significant obstacle for Magbegor and also Smith is filthy trouble. Magbegor grabbed three first-half fouls against Canada, and also Johnson had pair of in the 1st one-fourth versus France, confining their moments. Back-up George is a challenging, trained player (she racked up 18 factors in 24 mins against Serbia) yet no place near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton raises a legitimate problem. Yet given the experience Stewart and also Wilson contend this stage-- Stewart is selecting her 3rd Olympic gold and also Wilson her second, while Magbegor and also Johnson are actually looking in their very first Gamings-- I will count on the Team United States very duo to make the winning participates in essential in such a high-pressure circumstance to development to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and Belgium would certainly be a harder opponent for Crew USA?Pelton: I'm choosing Belgium, which provided the united state ladies their most difficult Olympic exam however. The Americans dominated through thirteen factors, although the scope was actually just 7 entering the 4th quarter of a team phase game played in Lille, France, near the edge with Belgium. All this even with Belgium going simply 5-of-27 in 3-point capturing, along with Julie Vanloo especially struggling from downtown while skipping 10 of her 11 tries. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 from 3, racking up thirteen points with seven aids (albeit with nine turn overs) as Belgium navigated past Spain, the simply other crew besides the U.S. that was actually unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the bunch nation along with the crowd on its side and also a lot of honor on the line, a challenging defensive team in France definitely would not be actually a pushover, either, particularly if Marine Johannes can go off like she performed versus Germany with 24 aspects off the bench as well as with Gabby Williams breaking the ice on each ends.Has Crew U.S.A. played its ideal basketball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, especially on outburst, can easily still be actually an issue. There are opportunities when the absence of playing time all together or even Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is still evident. After all, there's a reason that Sue Bird lately stated on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that U.S.A. Basketball is actually the best uneasy baseball she has ever played. After a bit of a sluggish begin, the united state ultimately led by 30 in the 3rd quarter versus Nigeria, however Reeve could not have loved how her team enabled the D'Tigress to make it a 14-point video game prior to the ultimate buzzer. With 4 video games, the Americans' lack of 3-point firing hasn't definitely been corrected, which may be an issue if challengers fume coming from deep.Team United States can not neglect some of the staying staffs in the field, yet with a protective identity and also offensive adeptness led through Stewart and Wilson, it has actually presented it may put activities away when it needs to, one thing that needs to move over in to the ultimate two games.Pelton: On the other hand, I believe the shooting is actually likewise reason to believe there's yet another gear for the USA ladies. Collectively, the 12 players on the lineup have actually combined to fire thirty three% on 3-point tries in the WNBA this period. That will not get a "Sprinkle Siblings" nickname whenever soon, yet it's also much better than Group United States has actually dealt with from the briefer 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually past due to heat up from long assortment. Keep an eye out if they eventually do.