.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers women's college basketball as well as the WNBA.Formerly covered UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sunshine for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad as well as Baltimore native along with more take in at the Dallas Morning Information, Seat Times as well as Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Elder Article Writer Co-author, Pro Basketball Syllabus collection.Previously a consultant along with the Indiana Pacers.Developed WARP rating as well as SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo international competitors will certainly meet again on Friday, as the United States women's basketball team goes up against the Australian Opals along with a location in the 2024 Paris Gamings' gold award match on the line.Team U.S.A., which is using a touch of 59 successive Olympic triumphes, improved to the semifinals along with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Observing a dismayed loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung all together 3 straight triumphes, featuring Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal choice over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the USA women have been the gold standard for baseball across the planet, gaining seven consecutive Olympic gold medals and nine general, Australia has actually been actually a famous powerhouse alongside all of them. The Opals have actually medaled in five of recent seven Summertimes Gamings, take away three silvers and pair of bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris denotes the very first time they have actually developed past the quarterfinals due to the fact that the 2012 Greater london Gamings.2012 additionally was actually the final opportunity the legendary Lauren Jackson wore on the Olympic stage for the eco-friendly and also gold-- until now. While Crew United States possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, showing up in her fifth Video games and also initially in 12 years. Jackson has actually constantly medaled in the competitors, and also though she has seen minimal action so far in France, she has a chance to continue that streak this weekend.Australia-- which flaunts 6 active WNBA players-- possesses lots of energy, yet the Opals are actually 0-20 perpetuity against the U.S. senior nationwide staff, featuring 0-8 in Olympic competition. During the course of the 5 Video games in which they medaled, Australia dropped to the USA either in the semifinals or even the gold medal competition. The teams final met in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and Kevin Pelton break a number of the pressing questions moving in to the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit scores Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Crew USABreanna Stewart talks with Brian Windhorst after Crew U.S.A.'s 14-point win over Nigeria to progress to the semifinals.Team United States shifted up its starting 5 versus Nigeria, along with Jackie Young instead of Diana Taurasi. Performed the technique repair its own concerns in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Young in place of Taurasi-- that had final come off the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the ideal action. With 15 points versus Nigeria, Young looks taking a task as Group United States's third marker behind A'ja Wilson as well as Breanna Stewart. (Indeed, Young is the just other united state gamer averaging dual figures at 10.3 points per video game.) Young, one of three Sin city Aces gamers in the beginning five, showed off her 3-point shooting earlier versus Germany, going 5-of-8. However while she went scoreless coming from deeper on Wednesday, it was her capacity to receive downhill as well as hit coming from midrange that stuck out, in addition to her trademark self defense in the backcourt. It took until the middle of the second one-fourth for the USA to really place its foot on the gasoline versus Nigeria, however Youthful's aggressiveness as well as energy on both ends need to continue to return. And Taurasi appeared to accomplish properly off the seat, where she boosted as a facilitator with four assists.Pelton: I 'd like to observe beginning point player Chelsea Gray be actually a threat to rating. She overlooked all three of her go attempts in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 until now throughout the Olympics. Amazingly, the united state outscored Nigeria through merely pair of factors in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 various other starters had 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 can easily get over one non-scorer in the beginning five so long as she is actually delivering another thing to the table. And Gray is actually with her playmaking, having now totaled 22 assists against only 3 turn overs. Therefore, I don't think trainer Cheryl Reeve needs to have to create further changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty ImagesWhat concerns do the Australians pose, and also what might create them a hard matchup?Top tales of the week coming from Receive exclusive access to countless fee short articles a year from best article writers. u2022 Solak: Intriguing NFL QB sophomore lesson "u2022 MLB: Impressive AL MVP war, various other honors "u2022 25 most important players in CFP nationality" Even more ESPN+ material ".Philippou: WNBA followers will be actually effectively knowledgeable about this Opals squad, which features the Seat Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne and also Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus The big apple Freedom instructor Sandy Brondello at the helm. Certainly not only carry out the Opals possess the skill to compete versus Crew USA. They possess drive and willpower following their unsatisfying start to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been actually felt free to with her crew's grace and also guts over recent full week, pair of top qualities a challenger requires when experiencing the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced assault flaunts five gamers averaging at the very least 8.0 PPG, can hurt adversaries inside with Magbegor and also Johnson however additionally from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the most ideal in the Olympic area as well as considerably greater than Team USA's paltry 30.8%. Whitcomb and Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while with the Sin City Aces, lead the team with eight as well as 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: On paper, Australia is much deeper and extra gifted than any type of group in the field except for the united state ladies. Our experts may discuss the greatest international gamer at the Paris Gamings, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and also Satou Sabally (Germany) as sturdy candidates. But no staff possesses a pair of gamers as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and also Johnson, both of whom would possess gotten on my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was not called to the crew this time even with similar production.) And no staff outside the U.S. has almost as a lot WNBA knowledge throughout its roster.Given everything skill, it was actually stunning when Australia dropped its own opening activity to Nigeria at that point hardly trump winless Canada. In their past pair of activities, our company have actually viewed the Opals our experts expected, as they defeat exceeded France to develop to the knockout phase as well as led Serbia through as several as 28 in an unbalanced quarterfinal victory.A' Ja foods to Stewie for three. LeBron accepts. United States Network and also Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can easily any person stop Breanna Stewart and also A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if anyone is actually heading to have all of them, it's the duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson. Australia's post players place second (Magbegor, 2.4) and also 4th (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every game as well as possess the flexibility to defend Stewart and Wilson on the border. Magbegor is actually especially experienced versus both challengers, having faced Stewart virtual for three years as Tornado teammates and compared with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The most significant barrier for Magbegor and Johnson is actually nasty trouble. Magbegor got three first-half fouls versus Canada, and Johnson possessed pair of in the 1st quarter versus France, confining their mins. Data backup George is actually a hard, trained gamer (she racked up 18 aspects in 24 mins versus Serbia) but no place near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up a valid issue. However provided the take in Stewart and Wilson contend this phase-- Stewart is opting for her third Olympic gold and also Wilson her second, while Magbegor and also Smith are appearing in their initial Video games-- I 'd anticipate the Team U.S.A. very duo to create the winning participates in needed in such a high-pressure situation to development to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and also Belgium would certainly be a more durable rival for Team USA?Pelton: I am actually picking Belgium, which offered the USA girls their most difficult Olympic test however. The Americans prevailed through 13 factors, although the scope was actually just seven going into the fourth one-fourth of a team phase activity played in Lille, France, near the border with Belgium. All this in spite of Belgium going just 5-of-27 in 3-point capturing, along with Julie Vanloo particularly having a hard time from midtown while skipping 10 of her 11 tries. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 coming from 3, scoring thirteen points along with 7 helps (albeit along with nine turn overs) as Belgium navigated previous Spain, the merely other team besides the USA that was unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the bunch country along with the group on its side as well as a lot of pride on the line, a tough defensive team in France would not be a piece of cake, either, specifically if Marine Johannes can easily go off like she performed versus Germany along with 24 aspects off the seat as well as along with Gabby Williams leading the way on both ends.Has Group U.S.A. played its own finest baseball yet?Philippou: In-game congruity, particularly on offense, can still be a concern. There are opportunities when the shortage of playing opportunity together or even Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is actually still apparent. After all, there is actually a reason Sue Bird recently stated on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that United States Basketball is the absolute most annoying basketball she has actually ever played. After a little bit of a slow beginning, the U.S. eventually led through 30 in the 3rd quarter versus Nigeria, however Reeve could not have actually enjoyed how her team permitted the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point game before the ultimate buzzer. By means of four games, the Americans' shortage of 3-point capturing hasn't really been actually remedied, which may be an issue if opponents get hot coming from deep.Team U.S.A. can't disregard any of the continuing to be crews in the business, however along with a protective identity and offensive adeptness led through Stewart and also Wilson, it has actually presented it can easily put activities away when it needs to have to, one thing that needs to move over right into the last 2 games.Pelton: On the other side, I believe the shooting is actually also explanation to think there is actually one more gear for the U.S. girls. Jointly, the 12 players on the roster have incorporated to fire thirty three% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this time. That will not get a "Splash Siblings" label whenever soon, but it is actually also better than Group USA has handled from the shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) as well as Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually overdue to warm from long variety. Look out if they lastly perform.