.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers girls's college baseball as well as the WNBA.Earlier covered UConn as well as the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad as well as Baltimore native with more take in at the Dallas Early Morning Headlines, Seattle Times and also Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Writer Co-author, Pro Basketball Prospectus series.Formerly a professional with the Indiana Pacers.Built WARP ranking and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo global competitors will meet again on Friday, as the United States women's basketball group confronts the Australian Opals with a place in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold medal match on the line.Team U.S.A., which is actually riding a streak of 59 consecutive Olympic triumphes, advanced to the semifinals along with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Complying with a distressed reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung all together three upright success, consisting of Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal selection over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the united state women have been actually the gold criterion for basketball around the world, gaining seven consecutive Olympic gold medals and also nine total, Australia has actually been a historical giant together with all of them. The Opals have actually medaled in five of the past seven Summer Gamings, take away three silvers and also pair of bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris denotes the very first time they have actually developed past the quarterfinals given that the 2012 Greater london Games.2012 also was the final time the famous Lauren Jackson dressed on the Olympic phase for the eco-friendly and also gold-- previously. While Team United States has 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, seeming in her 5th Gamings and also to begin with in 12 years. Jackson has always medaled in the competition, as well as though she has actually viewed limited activity so far in France, she possesses a possibility to carry on that touch this weekend.Australia-- which includes six active WNBA gamers-- possesses plenty of energy, however the Opals are 0-20 perpetuity against the USA elderly nationwide group, consisting of 0-8 in Olympic competitors. During the course of the five Video games through which they medaled, Australia lost to the USA either in the semifinals or the gold award contest. The teams last fulfilled in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou as well as Kevin Pelton break several of the pressing concerns moving into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart debts Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Team USABreanna Stewart talks with Brian Windhorst after Staff U.S.A.'s 14-point get Nigeria to advance to the semifinals.Team United States changed up its beginning five versus Nigeria, along with Jackie Youthful instead of Diana Taurasi. Performed the move correct its own issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Starting Young in place of Taurasi-- that possessed final go over the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the best move. Along with 15 aspects versus Nigeria, Young looks carving out a role as Team USA's third scorer behind A'ja Wilson as well as Breanna Stewart. (Without A Doubt, Young is the simply various other USA player averaging dual figures at 10.3 aspects every video game.) Young, one of three Sin city Aces players in the starting 5, displayed her 3-point capturing previously versus Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless coming from deep-seated on Wednesday, it was her capacity to obtain downhill and strike coming from midrange that stuck out, in addition to her hallmark defense in the backcourt. It took until the middle of the second one-fourth for the united state to actually put its feet on the gas against Nigeria, yet Youthful's hostility and energy on each ends ought to continue to pay dividends. As well as Taurasi seemed to do properly off the seat, where she boosted as a company with 4 assists.Pelton: I will really love to observe starting point player Chelsea Gray be actually a danger to rating. She missed all 3 of her chance tries in the quarterfinals, bringing Gray to 1-of-13 until now in the course of the Olympics. Remarkably, the USA outscored Nigeria through simply pair of aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 various other starters had a plus-minus of plus-17 or even far better while on the court.Still, as I pointed out in our last roundtable, the united state women may eliminate one non-scorer in the starting 5 so long as she is bringing another thing to the desk. And Gray is actually with her playmaking, having right now totted 22 assists against just three turn overs. So, I do not believe trainer Cheryl Reeve requires to create further changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE by means of Getty ImagesWhat complications perform the Australians posture, as well as what can make all of them a difficult matchup?Top accounts of the week coming from Obtain special access to countless premium short articles a year coming from leading writers. u2022 Solak: Intriguing NFL QB sophomore class "u2022 MLB: Legendary AL MVP fight, other honors "u2022 25 most important gamers in CFP nationality" More ESPN+ information ".Philippou: WNBA fans are going to be actually well knowledgeable about this Opals team, which features the Seat Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor as well as Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne as well as Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus New York Right train Sandy Brondello responsible. Certainly not just do the Opals have the ability to compete against Crew United States. They have energy as well as willpower observing their frustrating beginning to the Olympics. Brondello has been satisfied along with her staff's grace as well as grit over recent week, 2 top qualities an enemy needs to have when dealing with the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced assault includes five players balancing a minimum of 8.0 PPG, can easily injure adversaries inside with Magbegor and Johnson but likewise from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the greatest in the Olympic field and also much more than Team United States's puny 30.8%. Whitcomb as well as Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the staff with 8 and also seven treys, respectively.Pelton: On paper, Australia is actually much deeper as well as even more proficient than any kind of staff in the business barring the USA females. Our experts may question the greatest worldwide player at the Paris Games, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and also Satou Sabally (Germany) as solid applicants. However no group has a set of gamers like the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Smith, both of whom will possess performed my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was certainly not called to the group this time in spite of comparable creation.) And also no staff outside the USA possesses nearly as much WNBA knowledge throughout its own roster.Given everything ability, it was stunning when Australia shed its own position game to Nigeria after that hardly defeat winless Canada. In their past pair of games, our team have actually observed the Opals we expected, as they defeat bested France to advance to the knockout phase and led Serbia by as many as 28 in an uneven quarterfinal victory.A' Ja meals to Stewie for three. LeBron approves. U.S.A. Network and also Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can any individual cease Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. But if anybody is visiting include all of them, it's the duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson. Australia's message players rank second (Magbegor, 2.4) as well as 4th (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks per game and also possess the range of motion to speak up for Stewart as well as Wilson on the perimeter. Magbegor is especially experienced against each opponents, having encountered Stewart in practice for three years as Storm colleagues as well as paired up with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The greatest barrier for Magbegor as well as Smith is nasty issue. Magbegor grabbed three first-half fouls against Canada, as well as Smith possessed 2 in the initial one-fourth versus France, confining their minutes. Data backup George is actually a tough, proficient player (she scored 18 points in 24 mins against Serbia) yet no place near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton raises a valid worry. However provided the take in Stewart and Wilson have at this stage-- Stewart is actually going for her third Olympic gold and Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and also Johnson are looking in their initial Games-- I 'd expect the Team USA super duo to help make the winning plays important in such a stressful circumstance to breakthrough to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and also Belgium will be a tougher opponent for Group USA?Pelton: I'm picking Belgium, which gave the united state women their most difficult Olympic exam yet. The Americans dominated through 13 points, although the margin was simply 7 getting in the fourth one-fourth of a team stage game played in Lille, France, near the border with Belgium. All this despite Belgium going just 5-of-27 in 3-point firing, along with Julie Vanloo particularly having a hard time coming from downtown while missing out on 10 of her 11 attempts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 coming from 3, racking up 13 aspects with seven aids (albeit with 9 turn overs) as Belgium travelled previous Spain, the only other staff besides the USA that was actually unbeaten in pool play.Philippou: As the host nation along with the crowd on its own side and also lots of take pride in vulnerable, a difficult protective group in France would not be actually a piece of cake, either, particularly if Marine Johannes can easily blow up like she did versus Germany with 24 factors off the seat and with Gabby Williams blazing a trail on both ends.Has Group U.S.A. played its absolute best baseball yet?Philippou: In-game congruity, specifically on offense, may still be an issue. There are opportunities when the shortage of participating in time all together or even Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is actually still evident. It goes without saying, there's a main reason why Sue Bird lately stated on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that USA Baseball is actually the best annoying baseball she has ever participated in. After a bit of a sluggish beginning, the USA ultimately led by 30 in the third one-fourth against Nigeria, but Reeve couldn't have really loved how her crew enabled the D'Tigress to make it a 14-point game prior to the last buzzer. With 4 activities, the Americans' shortage of 3-point shooting have not really been actually treated, which may be an issue if enemies get hot coming from deep.Team USA can not forget any one of the staying crews in the field, yet with a defensive identity and also aggressive prowess led through Stewart and Wilson, it has revealed it can easily put games away when it needs to, something that must transfer over right into the ultimate two games.Pelton: On the other side, I think the firing is actually additionally cause to feel there is actually one more gear for the united state ladies. Collectively, the 12 players on the roster have integrated to shoot 33% on 3-point tries in the WNBA this time. That won't earn a "Sprinkle Sis" label whenever very soon, yet it is actually also far better than Staff United States has actually dealt with from the much shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and also Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually outstanding to heat coming from lengthy variation. Keep an eye out if they eventually perform.