PARIS (AP) — Breanna Stewart scored 16 factors and the U.S. ladies superior to their eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal sport with a 85-64 victory over Australia on Friday.
The People, who prolonged their Olympic profitable streak to 60 consecutive video games, will face both France or Belgium on Sunday. The U.S. are attempting to change into the primary crew to win eight consecutive gold medals, breaking the tie with the American males’s program that received seven in a row from 1936-68.
A win Sunday would give Diana Taurasi a file six gold medals. A sport after not beginning for the primary time for the reason that 2004 Olympics, the People’ most adorned Olympic basketball participant didn’t enter the sport till 2:08 remained within the third quarter with the U.S. up 63-40.
The U.S. jumped out to an early lead on Australia, however solely led 20-16 after the primary quarter. The People put the sport away within the second quarter, beginning the interval with a 12-0 run. The U.S. led 45-27 on the half.
Issues didn’t get any higher for the Australians within the second half as they by no means challenged the People.
Gregory Shamus through Getty Photographs
Jackie Younger added 14 factors, Kahleah Copper 11 and A’ja WIlson 10 for the People.
Isobel Borlase led Australia with 11, and Tess Madgen and Ezi Magbegor every had 10.
Whereas the American crew options 12 WNBA All-Stars who’ve received a number of MVPs, the Australia roster is stuffed with complimentary gamers within the league. The Opals simply didn’t have sufficient offensive firepower to compete with the American juggernaut.
Ultimately, the U.S. as soon as once more denied the Australians an opportunity at a gold medal in what’s been a one-sided affair between the groups. The Opals have by no means overwhelmed the U.S. in Olympic competitors, dropping within the gold medal sport in 2000, ’04 and ’08.
The Australians additionally misplaced to the U.S. within the semifinals of the 1996 and 2012 Olympics.
Australian veteran Lauren Jackson performed 5 minutes after sitting out the final two video games and didn’t rating. The 43-year-old Jackson hasn’t contributed a lot on this Olympics, however the reality she’s nonetheless enjoying is a close to miracle itself after she retired as a result of accidents in 2016.
Jackson made a return for the Opals on the 2022 World Cup, serving to the crew earn bronze there. Now she’ll hope that the crew can get yet another win Sunday to medal — one thing the Australians have performed in every of the 4 different Olympics she’s competed in.
