Team USA Women’s Basketball Heads Into Quarterfinals Undefeated

It’s hard to judge from the final score, but the United States women’s basketball team was kept on its toes for much of the first half in its game against Germany on August 4.

It was like the United States’ game against Belgium, but instead of Germany hanging around, they started the game on top and gave the Americans difficulty from the jump. Team USA came out of the gates a little flat-footed, as at the first timeout, Germany held a 15-6 lead. After trailing 19-16 at the end of the first quarter, Team USA eventually got it together in quarter two, however.

Sometimes in basketball, it takes a bench unit to give the team a needed spark to get back into the game. That’s exactly what happened with the women’s squad against Germany. It was players like Kahleah Copper who helped the Americans return to their dominant selves. Her two early 3-pointers tied things up 22-22, which was an inflection point en route to Team USA’s eventual 87-68 victory.

Here are some takeaways from the United States’ third and final group play game:

Stewart, Wilson Continue Hot Streak

So far, Team USA’s 2024 Olympic success has been driven by Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson. In game one , the pair combined for 46 points and in game two , they combined for 49 points.

Against Germany, the duo’s scoring that has come to be expected on this year’s international stage trailed off a bit, as Stewart and Wilson combined for just 27 points. Both stars still scored in double-figures, though, and continue to be the faces of this team.

“I think what’s impressed me is what’s impressed everyone, is how much I am loving watching A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart play with one another,” retired WNBA player and Hall-of-Famer Rebecca Lobo said in an interview on NBA Today on August 2. “We’ve watched these two battle against one another in college and then in the WNBA, last year in the WNBA Finals…We finally get to see them on the court together, and their games compliment one another so well.”

For Stewart, her Olympic dominance continued against Germany in the beginning of the game. She scored Team USA’s first six points and was the one who kept the Americans in the game after they started 0-for-4 from the field and trailed Germany early. Stewart finished with 13 points.

Wilson, on the other hand, could not find her groove against Germany in the early stages. It wasn’t until later in the game that she played on par with her true form. Down the stretch, she got her game together to finish with the second most points for Team USA with 14.

Even after a game with less offensive production, this duo will continue to be paramount to Team USA’s run for a gold medal.

New York Liberty, Las Vegas Aces On Display Against Germany

There’s a reason why there are two players from the New York Liberty and four players from the Las Vegas Aces on Team USA. The Liberty and Aces have been two of the best teams in the WNBA this year.

It’s no surprise then that it was the players from those two squads that had the best days for Team USA against Germany.

Not only did Stewart and Wilson continue their dominance on the Olympic stage, but Las Vegas Aces guards Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum, as well as Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu, had strong outings for Team USA off the bench also.

Young hit four 3-pointers and finished with a team-high 16 points against Germany. Plum was scoring and dishing the rock, as she tallied six points and five assists. Ionescu did a little bit of everything in the game, picking up six points, five assists and two rebounds.

With the WNBA’s mid-season break set to finish following the Olympic Games, both the Liberty and Aces are in strong contention to make runs in the playoffs, just as the two teams did last season. The fact that the Team USA players who are part of the Liberty and Aces accounted for 55 of the Americans’ 87 points against Germany proves that point to a tee.

Everyone Gets Their Share On Team USA

What’s special about this iteration of the United States women’s national team is the top-to-bottom depth that continues to define this squad.

Stewart and Wilson continue to execute on all cylinders. Plum, Ionescu and Britney Griner have been solid forces off the bench in each game. Even players like Kahleah Copper, who did not see the floor in game two, have come into their own. Copper had 12 points and four 3-pointers off the bench against Germany and was pivotal in getting Team USA back on top against Germany.

It doesn’t matter if a player has been off their game. In Team USA’s three group play contests, someone has ultimately stepped up when needed. That’s what has given the Americans an edge thus far and what will continue to give them an edge as they chase an Olympic gold medal.

More Goose Eggs For Taurasi

Against Germany, Diana Taurasi continued her dry spell on the offensive end. Granted, she only played just over six minutes – starting the game and not returning – but her two points over the course of three games is still uncharacteristic.

Ultimately, this team does not need a vintage Taurasi performance every time it takes the floor. This team also doesn’t need double-figures from Taurasi to defeat any given international competition. It’s just an unfamiliar sight to have Taurasi scoreless in two out of three games, as she has been the backbone of Team USA women’s basketball for two decades.

If the United States makes it all the way to the gold medal contest, Taurasi has three more chances to show there's game left in her tank.

Team USA will play against Nigeria in the quarterfinals round at 3:30 p.m. EST on August 7.

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