.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers women's college baseball as well as the WNBA.Recently covered UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sunshine for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and also Baltimore indigenous along with additional experience at the Dallas Morning News, Seat Times and also Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Elderly Person Article Writer Co-author, Pro Basketball Prospectus collection.Formerly an expert along with the Indiana Pacers.Cultivated WARP ranking and also SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo global opponents will reunite on Friday, as the United States women's basketball staff takes on the Australian Opals with a location in the 2024 Paris Games' gold medal suit on the line.Team USA, which is actually riding a touch of 59 successive Olympic victories, advanced to the semifinals with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Following an upset reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung together three upright victories, featuring Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal selection over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the USA ladies have been the gold criterion for basketball around the world, gaining 7 consecutive Olympic gold awards and 9 general, Australia has been a historic goliath together with them. The Opals have actually medaled in 5 of recent 7 Summer Video games, taking home three silvers as well as 2 bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris denotes the first time they've advanced past the quarterfinals considering that the 2012 London Gamings.2012 additionally was actually the final time the famous Lauren Jackson dressed on the Olympic stage 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 possess Jackson, 43, seeming in her fifth Games as well as to begin with in 12 years. Jackson has always medaled in the competition, and though she has actually seen limited action thus far in France, she possesses a chance to continue that streak this weekend.Australia-- which flaunts 6 energetic WNBA gamers-- has plenty of drive, yet the Opals are 0-20 all time versus the united state senior national crew, featuring 0-8 in Olympic competition. During the course of the 5 Games in which they medaled, Australia dropped to the USA either in the semifinals or the gold medal contest. The teams last complied with in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton break down a number of the pressing inquiries moving in to the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit ratings Jackie Young for jump-starting Staff USABreanna Stewart speaks with Brian Windhorst after Group U.S.A.'s 14-point sway Nigeria to progress to the semifinals.Team U.S.A. changed up its own starting 5 against Nigeria, along with Jackie Young instead of Diana Taurasi. Performed the relocation fix its problems in the backcourt?Philippou: Starting Youthful instead of Taurasi-- who had last come off the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was the right step. Along with 15 points versus Nigeria, Youthful looks carving out a role as Staff U.S.A.'s 3rd scorer responsible for A'ja Wilson as well as Breanna Stewart. (Definitely, Young is the only other U.S. gamer averaging dual figures at 10.3 factors every video game.) Young, among 3 Sin city Aces gamers in the beginning five, displayed her 3-point firing previously versus Germany, going 5-of-8. However while she went scoreless coming from deep on Wednesday, it was her ability to obtain downhill and reach coming from midrange that stood apart, along with her trademark protection in the backcourt. It took till the center of the second one-fourth for the USA to definitely place its own foot on the gasoline against Nigeria, yet Young's hostility as well as power on both ends should remain to return. As well as Taurasi seemed to perform effectively off the seat, where she boosted as a company with four assists.Pelton: I would certainly really love to see beginning point player Chelsea Gray be actually a risk to rating. She skipped all three of her shot efforts in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 so far throughout the Olympics. Incredibly, the U.S. outscored Nigeria by simply 2 points in Gray's 17:27, while all four various other beginners possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or even far better while on the court.Still, as I discussed in our last roundtable, the USA girls can easily conquer one non-scorer in the beginning five as long as she is actually taking something else to the desk. And also Gray is actually with her playmaking, having actually right now totted 22 assists versus merely 3 turnovers. Thus, I don't assume coach Cheryl Reeve needs to create more changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE by means of Getty ImagesWhat troubles carry out the Australians present, as well as what could make them a challenging matchup?Top tales of the full week from Receive unique access to countless superior write-ups a year from leading article writers. u2022 Solak: Intriguing NFL QB student course "u2022 MLB: Legendary AL MVP battle, various other awards "u2022 25 most important players in CFP race" Even more ESPN+ web content ".Philippou: WNBA fans will certainly be actually effectively accustomed to this Opals squad, which features the Seat Tornado's Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Triggers' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne and Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus New york city Liberty train Sandy Brondello responsible. Not only perform the Opals have the skill to contend against Team USA. They possess drive and fix observing their frustrating begin to the Olympics. Brondello has been felt free to along with her group's grace and guts over recent full week, two premiums an enemy requires when dealing with the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced attack boasts 5 players averaging at the very least 8.0 PPG, can injure enemies inside along with Magbegor and also Johnson however additionally coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the most ideal in the Olympic area as well as considerably higher than Team USA's puny 30.8%. Whitcomb as well as Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the team along with eight and seven treys, respectively.Pelton: Theoretically, Australia is actually much deeper as well as extra accomplished than any sort of staff in the field except for the united state ladies. Our team can dispute the most ideal global gamer at the Paris Video Games, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and Satou Sabally (Germany) as sturdy applicants. Yet no team has a set of players just as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor as well as Smith, both of whom would possess performed my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually not called to the group this period even with comparable development.) As well as no crew outside the USA possesses nearly as a lot WNBA adventure throughout its own roster.Given all that skill, it was actually astonishing when Australia shed its own opening activity to Nigeria at that point hardly trump winless Canada. In their past two activities, our company've seen the Opals our team anticipated, as they defeat topped France to advance to the knockout phase and also led Serbia by as lots of as 28 in a lopsided quarterfinal victory.A' Ja foods to Stewie for three. LeBron permits. United States System as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can easily any person quit Breanna Stewart and also A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if anybody is visiting contain them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor and also Johnson. Australia's article players position second (Magbegor, 2.4) as well as 4th (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks per game as well as have the flexibility to defend Stewart as well as Wilson on the perimeter. Magbegor is especially experienced versus both opponents, having actually dealt with Stewart virtual for 3 years as Storm teammates as well as matched up along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The greatest hurdle for Magbegor and also Johnson is filthy problem. Magbegor got 3 first-half fouls against Canada, and also Johnson possessed pair of in the 1st one-fourth versus France, confining their mins. Back-up George is actually a tough, knowledgeable player (she scored 18 factors in 24 minutes versus Serbia) yet no place near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up an authentic issue. However provided the encounter Stewart and Wilson contend this stage-- Stewart is actually choosing her third Olympic gold as well as Wilson her second, while Magbegor as well as Smith are appearing in their initial Video games-- I 'd expect the Crew USA very duo to produce the winning plays needed in such a high-pressure condition to breakthrough to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and Belgium would certainly be a harder enemy for Crew USA?Pelton: I'm choosing Belgium, which gave the united state girls their hardest Olympic exam however. The Americans prevailed by thirteen factors, although the frame was simply seven entering into the 4th one-fourth of a team phase activity played in Lille, France, near the perimeter with Belgium. All this regardless of Belgium going just 5-of-27 in 3-point shooting, along with Julie Vanloo specifically battling coming from downtown while skipping 10 of her 11 attempts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 coming from 3, scoring 13 aspects with 7 assists (albeit along with nine turnovers) as Belgium travelled past Spain, the just various other team besides the united state that was actually unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the lot nation with the crowd on its own edge as well as plenty of take pride in vulnerable, a tough defensive team in France definitely would not be a pushover, either, particularly if Marine Johannes can easily go off like she performed versus Germany along with 24 factors off the seat and along with Gabby Williams blazing a trail on each ends.Has Staff U.S.A. played its own greatest baseball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, specifically on offense, can still be a problem. There are times when the shortage of participating in time all together or even Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is actually still obvious. Nevertheless, there's a reason Sue Bird recently pointed out on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that United States Baseball is actually the best uncomfortable baseball she has actually ever before played. After a bit of a slow-moving begin, the U.S. ultimately led through 30 in the third one-fourth against Nigeria, yet Reeve could not have adored just how her crew made it possible for the D'Tigress to make it a 14-point video game just before the ultimate buzzer. Via 4 games, the Americans' absence of 3-point capturing hasn't definitely been actually remedied, which may be a problem if challengers get hot coming from deep.Team USA can't neglect any of the remaining staffs in the field, yet along with a defensive identity as well as aggressive expertise led through Stewart and also Wilson, it has actually presented it can easily put games away when it needs to, one thing that must move over in to the ultimate pair of games.Pelton: On the flip side, I think the shooting is additionally cause to think there is actually one more equipment for the U.S. girls. Jointly, the 12 gamers on the lineup have actually integrated to fire 33% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this time. That won't get a "Sprinkle Siblings" nickname any time quickly, but it's likewise better than Staff United States has taken care of coming from the briefer 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) as well as Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually outstanding to warm from lengthy array. Watch out if they ultimately do.