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USA vs. Australia: Team USA rolls over Australia to advance to Olympic gold medal game in Paris

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USA vs. Australia: Team USA rolls over Australia to advance to Olympic gold medal game in Paris

The United States women’s basketball team earned a dominant __-__ win over Australia in the semifinals. The victory was the latest step on the quest for an eighth straight Olympic gold medal, and Team USA took the challenge in stride.

The U.S. played well on offense, with Breanna Stewart and Jackie Young leading the team with 16 and 14 points, respectively, and with the team going 7-of-16 on three-pointers and going __% on shooting overall. But it was the American defense that was particularly strong, with 10 steals and five blocked shots, scoring 19 points off those turnovers. The U.S. also operated well at a faster pace, scoring 26 fast break points.

So far, Team USA has largely cruised through their games, besting Japan, Belgium and Germany in group play. Australia beat Serbia handily in their quarterfinal matchup on Wednesday, while the U.S. defeated Nigeria 88-74 en route to the semifinal.

Team USA has now extended its win streak to 59 games, with the streak stretching back to 1992. The United States will now face the winner of France vs. Belgium in the gold medal matchup on Sunday, while Australia will take on the loser of that match to compete for the bronze.

Live22 updates

  • Team USA defeats Australia with a dominant 21-point win

    The U.S. takes the 85-64 win and moves on to play for the gold medal on Sunday. It was a dominant performance from the United States, who steamroll over Australia on the quest for its eighth straight gold.

  • With the dominant semifinal win, the United States will now play the winner of France vs. Belgium. That game will be tipping off in a little under two hours — at 9 p.m. Paris time.

  • Breanna Stewart ends with 16 points to lead the team, with Jackie Young earning 14 and Kahleah Copper earning 11 off the bench. A’ja Wilson also had a great game, earning 10 points and eight rebounds. Overall, the game was pretty even for the United States, with all but one player scoring and all but two contributing rebounds.

    Australia’s top scorers all came off the bench, with Isobel Borlase scoring 11 and Tess Madgen and Marianna Tolo getting 10 each.

  • There’s less than four minutes left, and Australia has made up some ground with the score now at 78-56. They’re unlikely to make a proper comeback, but there’s certainly some fight left for this Aussie squad.

    A pair of free throws from Kristy Wallace brings the Australia deficit to 20, but Napheesa Collier gets a shot outside the paint to make it 80-58.

  • Kahleah Copper scores off a fast break and Australia takes another timeout. It’s now 73-43, with the U.S. taking a 30-0

  • Team USA 66, Australia 40 at the end of the third quarter

    The United States keeps stretching their lead and have a win just about locked up. Australia has struggled on offense, but more than that the United States has done a great job on defense, and has stayed largely clean in terms of fouls. They’re also 6-of-12 on threes, a vast improvement from some of their earlier games in these Olympics.

  • Diana Taurasi subs in and gets her first minutes of this game. Taurasi, who is 42, is a six-time Olympian and has implied that this will be her last Olympics — but in these games, if the score holds, she’ll be able to play for her sixth straight gold on Sunday.

  • Australia takes a timeout as the U.S. goes on another run, running up the score to 58-36 with less than five minutes left in the third quarter. A’ja Wilson has 10 points and eight rebounds so far, and is having another strong game with the U.S.

    The 22-point lead is the biggest so far for the United States; things feel pretty solid, and pretty locked up at this point.

  • Second half is now underway, and Australia is coming out with some fire. Alanna Smith opens the scoring with a three-pointer and Ezi Magbegor gets a big block on A’ja Wilson. But Jackie Young makes two free throws to make it 47-30.

  • Team USA 45, Australia 27 at halftime

    Australia’s Tess Madgen closes out the half with a three, but it’s been Team USA all the way so far.

    The U.S. is now 4-for-9 on three-pointers and is 53% on shooting. But it’s the defense that has truly starred for Team USA this game, with seven steals and five blocked shots in the first half. They’ve been taking advantage off of that defense as well, scoring 14 points off Australia’s turnovers and scoring 18 points off of fast breaks.

    Breanna Stewart leads with 11 points, while Jackie Young has 10. A’ja Wilson has four points and six rebounds, and has been dominant on defense.

  • The U.S. is really hitting a groove now, taking the biggest lead of the game with the score now 40-21. Defense and offense have both looked great for Team USA.

  • Australia takes a timeout as the U.S. goes on a 10-0 run to start the second quarter, and now leads 30-16 after three-pointers from Sabrina Ionescu and Jewell Loyd.

  • Kahleah Copper makes the United States’ first three-pointer of the game, giving a boost to start the second quarter. A Brittney Griner free throw makes it 24-16 for the U.S.

  • Team USA up 20-16 over Australia in the first quarter

    Brittney Griner makes a layup to put the Americans up 20-16. Ezi Magbegor’s attempt doesn’t fall in, so the quarter will end there. Australia is looking to launch a comeback; Team USA will have to hold them off.

  • Australia has a bit of a surge, with a handful of turnovers and some well-made shots. After closing in on the U.S.’s lead, it’s now 18-16 and much closer than earlier in the quarter.

  • Breanna Stewart takes the first three-point attempt for the U.S., and it’s a miss. Doesn’t bode well for the United States’ three-point issues…

  • So far, the U.S. has also been able to have some big plays on defense, with three blocked shots and three steals in just the first five minutes of the game. But the Americans have yet to attempt a three-pointer; threes are something that the team has struggled with all Olympics.

  • A beautiful jumper from Napheesa Collier makes it 12-4 and forces Australia to take a timeout, with a little over six minutes remaining in the quarter.

  • The semifinal is underway, with Team USA taking on Australia

    The United States is coming out strong as Australia struggles a bit on offense, with the U.S. taking an early 10-4 lead.

  • Australia’s starting lineup

    Australia will start off with Sami Whitcomb, Jade Melbourne, Steph Talbot, Alanna Smith and Ezi Magbegor.

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