Two weeks into the Paris Olympics, and the U.S. women's basketball team is still looking for its first real test.
The women's team saw the men survive a semifinal scare against Serbia on Thursday and decided they didn't need any of that stress: Breanna Stewart led the way with 16 points, six rebounds and five assists and Team USA used a smothering defensive effort to cruise past old rival Australia, 85-64, and reach an eighth straight gold medal game.
A'ja Wilson (10 points, eight rebounds) flirted with another double-double and Jackie Young continued her excellent play with 14 points and five assists for the U.S., which held a previously scorching Aussie offense — one that came into this game leading the tournament in 3-point shooting — to just 36% from the field and an ugly 7-of-29 from deep. Team USA started the second quarter on a 14-2 run, holding the Opals to just one field goal over the first five minutes of the quarter, to more or less put the game away.
Read on for a full recap and takeaways from another blowout win.
A different intensity
This isn't to say that the U.S. had been fully coasting through its first four games of this tournament. But from opening tip on Friday, Team USA made clear that it had another gear to reach.
The U.S. was flying around from the first possession on, especially defensively, hedging and recovering and closing out as hard as we've seen all Olympics. The result? Australia had more turnovers (3) than made field goals (2) through the first four minutes, and Team USA turned all those loose balls into 10 fast-break points en route to a 14-4 run to open the game.
"From start to finish, we were able to get the job done and get what we wanted," Stewart said. "We were able to get stops and get out in transition and score the ball pretty well for the most part."
Defense does it again
In a tournament full of spectacular defensive performances, this one still stands above the rest. Australia came into this game on a roll, shooting 50% from the floor over its three-game winning streak and leading all teams in 3-point percentage thanks in large part to the efforts of point guard Sami Whitcomb. This U.S. team, however, is a different animal, and it decided early on that it wasn't having any of that. Team USA held the Opals to just 40 points over the first three quarters, hounding every ballhandler, getting a hand in every passing lane and contesting every shot. Whitcomb, meanwhile, had her worst game of Paris, scoring just five points on 2-of-9 shooting (1-of-7 from 3) with four turnovers to just three assists. Kayla George and Jade Melbourne combined to go just 2-of-10 from behind the arc themselves, as it seemed like the U.S. just had Australia sped up throughout. If the Americans are locked in like this for 40 minutes on the defensive end, good night.
Jackie Young appreciation segment
You can understand why head coach Cheryl Reeve was hesitant to pull Diana Taurasi from the starting lineup. But man, what a difference Young has made to this first unit: The Las Vegas Aces star put together a third straight sterling performance on Friday, shooting 6-of-8 from the field and adding five assists and two steals. She's been competent, she's been composed and she's just made the right decisions, over and over again, attacking when the opportunity presents and getting her fellow stars involved when it doesn't.
"This is one of the biggest stages with the brightest lights," Wilson said of her WNBA teammate. "I feel like this is a great space for Jackie to be in. We're also seeing Jackie trying to form into herself, establishing herself, in [the WNBA]. I'm very happy to be alongside her and watch her grow."
What's next for Team USA?
The win runs the American women's remarkable Olympic winning streak to an even 60 games, and a 61st in the final on Sunday will bring a historic eighth gold medal in a row. The U.S. will face the winner of France-Belgium in the other women's semifinal, although at this point, it sure seems like every other team is playing for silver.
"I think the gold medal is the standard," Alyssa Thomas said. "No matter where we are in the world, it's our goal and that's what we came here for."