.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers ladies's college baseball and the WNBA.Previously dealt with UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sunshine for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate as well as Baltimore native along with more encounter at the Dallas Morning Headlines, Seattle Times and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Author Co-author, Pro Baseball Program set.Previously a specialist along with the Indiana Pacers.Established WARP score and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo global opponents will definitely meet again on Friday, as the United States ladies's basketball staff takes on the Australian Opals along with an area in the 2024 Paris Games' gold award suit on the line.Team U.S.A., which is riding a streak of 59 consecutive Olympic triumphes, advanced to the semifinals along with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Observing an upset loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung with each other three upright triumphes, consisting of Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal decision over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the USA girls have actually been actually the gold standard for basketball throughout the world, winning 7 consecutive Olympic gold medals and also 9 total, Australia has been actually a famous goliath together with them. The Opals have actually medaled in five of recent seven Summers months Gamings, take away 3 silvers and also 2 bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris notes the very first time they have actually improved past the quarterfinals considering that the 2012 London Video games.2012 also was actually the final opportunity the fabulous Lauren Jackson wore on the Olympic stage for the environment-friendly and gold-- until now. While Team U.S.A. possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, showing up in her 5th Gamings as well as first in 12 years. Jackson has regularly medaled in the competition, and though she has seen minimal action thus far in France, she possesses a chance to continue that streak this weekend.Australia-- which boasts 6 energetic WNBA gamers-- has plenty of momentum, however the Opals are actually 0-20 perpetuity against the united state senior national staff, featuring 0-8 in Olympic competitors. During the course of the 5 Gamings in which they medaled, Australia dropped to the united state either in the semifinals or even the gold medal competition. The squads final satisfied in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton malfunction several of journalism inquiries heading in to the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit reports Jackie Young for jump-starting Group USABreanna Stewart talks with Brian Windhorst after Team United States's 14-point draw Nigeria to progress to the semifinals.Team United States shifted up its starting 5 versus Nigeria, with Jackie Young instead of Diana Taurasi. Performed the technique repair its issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Young instead of Taurasi-- who possessed last go over the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was the correct action. Along with 15 factors versus Nigeria, Young seems carving out a duty as Staff U.S.A.'s 3rd marker behind A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart. (Undoubtedly, Youthful is the only various other U.S. player balancing double designs at 10.3 factors every game.) Young, some of three Las Vegas Aces gamers in the starting 5, showed off her 3-point capturing previously against Germany, going 5-of-8. Yet while she went scoreless coming from deep-seated on Wednesday, it was her capability to acquire downhill as well as hit from midrange that stuck out, in addition to her hallmark protection in the backcourt. It took up until the middle of the second fourth for the united state to actually put its own foot on the gas against Nigeria, yet Young's aggression and also electricity on both ends should remain to return. As well as Taurasi seemed to be to do effectively off the bench, where she improved as a facilitator along with four assists.Pelton: I would certainly adore to see starting point player Chelsea Gray be a hazard to credit rating. She skipped all three of her shot attempts in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 up until now during the Olympics. Incredibly, the united state outscored Nigeria through simply two aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 other beginners possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or even much better while on the court.Still, as I stated in our final roundtable, the U.S. ladies can get rid of one non-scorer in the starting five so long as she is actually bringing another thing to the table. And also Gray is actually with her playmaking, having actually now amounted to 22 helps against merely 3 turnovers. Therefore, I don't presume coach Cheryl Reeve requires to make more changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE using Getty ImagesWhat complications perform the Australians pose, and what can create them a hard matchup?Top accounts of the full week from Get special accessibility to countless superior short articles a year coming from leading authors. u2022 Solak: Intriguing NFL QB sophomore class "u2022 MLB: Epic AL MVP war, other honors "u2022 25 most important gamers in CFP nationality" Additional ESPN+ information ".Philippou: WNBA enthusiasts are going to be properly knowledgeable about this Opals team, which includes the Seattle Tornado's Ezi Magbegor as well as Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne and also Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus Nyc Liberty train Sandy Brondello responsible. Not only perform the Opals have the skill to compete versus Group United States. They possess drive and also fix observing their unsatisfying start to the Olympics. Brondello has been actually pleased with her team's grace and grit over the past full week, two high qualities an enemy needs when encountering the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced assault flaunts five players averaging at least 8.0 PPG, may hurt opponents inside with Magbegor as well as Johnson however likewise from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the most effective in the Olympic area and a lot greater than Group U.S.A.'s modest 30.8%. Whitcomb and also Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while along with the Sin City Aces, lead the crew along with eight and 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: On paper, Australia is much deeper and also much more proficient than any crew in the business barring the U.S. females. Our company may dispute the greatest international gamer at the Paris Video Games, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and Satou Sabally (Germany) as sturdy applicants. Yet no staff has a pair of gamers like the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Smith, each of whom would possess been on my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was certainly not called to the staff this time despite comparable creation.) And also no group outside the united state possesses virtually as much WNBA expertise throughout its own roster.Given everything talent, it was actually shocking when Australia lost its own opening activity to Nigeria then rarely trump winless Canada. In their past two games, our team have actually viewed the Opals we anticipated, as they defeat exceeded France to develop to the knockout phase as well as led Serbia through as a lot of as 28 in an unbalanced quarterfinal victory.A' Ja foods to Stewie for three. LeBron authorizes. United States Network as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 May anyone quit Breanna Stewart and also A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. However if any person is going to have them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor and Johnson. Australia's post players rate 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) and also 4th (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every game and have the flexibility to defend Stewart and also Wilson on the border. Magbegor is actually particularly experienced against each opponents, having actually experienced Stewart virtual for 3 years as Hurricane colleagues and matched up along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The most significant barrier for Magbegor and also Smith is actually nasty issue. Magbegor grabbed 3 first-half fouls against Canada, and also Smith possessed 2 in the initial quarter versus France, confining their minutes. Back-up George is a challenging, proficient player (she scored 18 factors in 24 moments against Serbia) but no place near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up a valid concern. However provided the encounter Stewart and also Wilson have at this stage-- Stewart is going with her 3rd Olympic gold and Wilson her second, while Magbegor and also Johnson are actually looking in their first Games-- I would certainly expect the Team U.S.A. tremendously duo to produce the winning participates in necessary in such a high-pressure circumstance to advance to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France as well as Belgium will be actually a more durable challenger for Crew USA?Pelton: I am actually picking Belgium, which offered the USA females their most difficult Olympic test yet. The Americans dominated by 13 factors, although the frame was actually only 7 entering into the 4th one-fourth of a team stage game played in Lille, France, near the perimeter with Belgium. All this regardless of Belgium going simply 5-of-27 in 3-point firing, along with Julie Vanloo specifically straining from midtown while missing 10 of her 11 attempts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 coming from 3, racking up thirteen factors with 7 assists (albeit along with nine turnovers) as Belgium travelled past Spain, the only other staff besides the USA that was actually unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the multitude country with the group on its side and also lots of satisfaction on the line, a hard defensive crew in France wouldn't be a pushover, either, particularly if Marine Johannes can easily blow up like she carried out versus Germany along with 24 aspects off the bench and also along with Gabby Williams breaking the ice on each ends.Has Group U.S.A. played its greatest basketball yet?Philippou: In-game congruity, particularly on outburst, may still be actually a problem. There are times when the shortage of playing opportunity with each other or even Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is actually still noticeable. Nevertheless, there's a reason that Sue Bird lately claimed on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that U.S.A. Basketball is the absolute most awkward basketball she has actually ever participated in. After a little bit of a slow-moving beginning, the USA inevitably led through 30 in the third one-fourth versus Nigeria, yet Reeve could not have really loved exactly how her crew enabled the D'Tigress to make it a 14-point video game just before the last buzzer. With four games, the Americans' absence of 3-point firing hasn't really been solved, which can be an issue if opponents get hot from deep.Team USA can not forget any one of the remaining teams in the business, however with a protective identification and also offensive prowess led through Stewart and also Wilson, it has shown it may put activities away when it needs to, one thing that needs to transmit over right into the final 2 games.Pelton: On the other hand, I presume the shooting is actually additionally explanation to believe there's an additional gear for the U.S. ladies. Jointly, the 12 gamers on the lineup have incorporated to shoot 33% on 3-point efforts in the WNBA this season. That will not earn a "Dash Sis" nickname at any time very soon, yet it's likewise better than Staff United States has actually dealt with from the briefer 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and also Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually outstanding to warm up from lengthy selection. Watch out if they ultimately carry out.