.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers girls's university baseball and the WNBA.Recently dealt with UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad as well as Baltimore native with more encounter at the Dallas Early Morning Headlines, Seat Moments and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Elder Article Writer Co-author, Pro Basketball Program series.Previously an expert with the Indiana Pacers.Cultivated WARP rating and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo international opponents will definitely reunite on Friday, as the USA women's basketball team goes up against the Australian Opals with a spot in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold medal suit on the line.Team U.S.A., which is actually riding a streak of 59 successive Olympic victories, improved to the semifinals along with an 88-74 overcome Nigeria on Wednesday. Complying with an upset loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung together three upright success, featuring Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal selection over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the united state women have been the gold specification for baseball throughout the world, gaining seven successive Olympic gold medals and also 9 general, Australia has been a famous giant along with them. The Opals have medaled in five of recent seven Summertimes Games, take away 3 silvers and pair of bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris marks the very first time they have actually advanced past the quarterfinals since the 2012 London Games.2012 likewise was the last time the fabulous Lauren Jackson wore on the Olympic phase for the environment-friendly and gold-- until now. While Group USA possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, seeming in her fifth Video games and also initially in 12 years. Jackson has actually always medaled in the competition, as well as though she has actually found limited action until now in France, she possesses an odds to continue that streak this weekend.Australia-- which flaunts six energetic WNBA players-- possesses plenty of drive, however the Opals are 0-20 all time against the USA senior nationwide crew, consisting of 0-8 in Olympic competitors. During the 5 Games in which they medaled, Australia shed to the USA either in the semifinals or even the gold medal competition. The teams final satisfied in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou as well as Kevin Pelton break down a number of the pressing questions heading into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit scores Jackie Young for jump-starting Group USABreanna Stewart speaks along with Brian Windhorst after Group U.S.A.'s 14-point draw Nigeria to progress to the semifinals.Team U.S.A. switched over up its own starting 5 versus Nigeria, along with Jackie Youthful in place of Diana Taurasi. Carried out the move correct its own concerns in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Young in place of Taurasi-- who possessed final go over the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was the best move. With 15 aspects versus Nigeria, Young seems taking a function as Crew United States's third scorer behind A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart. (Definitely, Youthful is the simply various other U.S. gamer averaging double designs at 10.3 factors per game.) Young, among three Las Vegas Aces players in the beginning five, exhibited her 3-point firing earlier versus Germany, going 5-of-8. However while she went scoreless from deep-seated on Wednesday, it was her capability to receive downhill and also attack from midrange that stood apart, alongside her hallmark protection in the backcourt. It took up until the center of the 2nd one-fourth for the U.S. to definitely place its own foot on the fuel against Nigeria, but Young's aggression and power on each ends need to remain to return. And Taurasi seemed to carry out properly off the bench, where she stepped up as a company with four assists.Pelton: I would certainly adore to see starting point player Chelsea Gray be actually a threat to score. She skipped all 3 of her go tries in the quarterfinals, carrying Gray to 1-of-13 so far during the course of the Olympics. Amazingly, the united state outscored Nigeria through merely two aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all four other beginners possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or better while on the court.Still, as I stated in our final roundtable, the united state females may overcome one non-scorer in the starting five as long as she is actually taking something else to the table. And also Gray is actually along with her playmaking, having actually right now completed 22 aids versus merely 3 turnovers. So, I do not presume train Cheryl Reeve needs to make more changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE by means of Getty ImagesWhat issues carry out the Australians pose, and also what could create all of them a hard matchup?Top tales of the week coming from Obtain special access to lots of fee write-ups a year coming from top article writers. u2022 Solak: Intriguing NFL QB sophomore training class "u2022 MLB: Impressive AL MVP battle, other honors "u2022 25 crucial players in CFP nationality" Even more ESPN+ information ".Philippou: WNBA followers will certainly be actually properly acquainted with this Opals team, which includes the Seattle Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor and also Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Sparks' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne as well as Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus New york city Right coach Sandy Brondello at the helm. Not just carry out the Opals have the ability to complete against Staff U.S.A.. They possess energy and resolve following their unsatisfying beginning to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been satisfied along with her crew's poise as well as guts over the past full week, 2 premiums a challenger requires when experiencing the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced strike flaunts five players averaging at the very least 8.0 PPG, can easily injure foes inside with Magbegor and also Smith but also from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the most ideal in the Olympic area as well as considerably more than Crew United States's tiny 30.8%. Whitcomb and also Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while along with the Sin City Aces, lead the team with 8 and also 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: On paper, Australia is deeper and also a lot more gifted than any type of staff in the business barring the united state women. Our company can easily dispute the very best international gamer at the Paris Gamings, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and Satou Sabally (Germany) as solid applicants. However no team has a set of gamers comparable to the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson, each of whom will have performed my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually certainly not called to the staff this time even with comparable production.) And no group outside the united state has virtually as much WNBA expertise throughout its own roster.Given all that ability, it was surprising when Australia lost its own position game to Nigeria then barely defeat winless Canada. In their previous 2 video games, we've observed the Opals our experts anticipated, as they beat outdoed France to develop to the knockout phase and also led Serbia by as numerous as 28 in an unequal quarterfinal victory.A' Ja dishes to Stewie for three. LeBron accepts. United States Network and also Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can easily anybody cease Breanna Stewart as well as A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if anybody is actually heading to include them, it's the duo of Magbegor and Smith. Australia's message players rank 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) and fourth (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every activity and possess the movement to speak up for Stewart as well as Wilson on the boundary. Magbegor is especially experienced against both rivals, having actually encountered Stewart virtual for 3 years as Tornado colleagues and also compared with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The largest challenge for Magbegor and Smith is filthy trouble. Magbegor grabbed three first-half fouls against Canada, and Johnson possessed 2 in the first one-fourth versus France, confining their mins. Back-up George is actually a hard, knowledgeable gamer (she racked up 18 aspects in 24 minutes against Serbia) however nowhere near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up an authentic worry. However offered the encounter Stewart as well as Wilson contend this phase-- Stewart is selecting her 3rd Olympic gold as well as Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and also Johnson are actually appearing in their first Video games-- I would certainly anticipate the Team U.S.A. super duo to make the winning participates in necessary in such a high-pressure scenario to advancement to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France as well as Belgium would certainly be actually a harder opponent for Crew USA?Pelton: I am actually choosing Belgium, which provided the U.S. women their hardest Olympic exam but. The Americans prevailed through 13 aspects, although the frame was just seven getting into the fourth one-fourth of a team phase game played in Lille, France, near the borderline along with Belgium. All this despite Belgium going just 5-of-27 in 3-point firing, along with Julie Vanloo particularly having a hard time from downtown while missing out on 10 of her 11 tries. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 from 3, scoring thirteen points along with 7 aids (albeit with 9 turn overs) as Belgium navigated past Spain, the just various other team besides the U.S. that was unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the multitude nation with the group on its own edge and also loads of honor on the line, a complicated defensive team in France wouldn't be actually a pushover, either, particularly if Marine Johannes can easily go off like she carried out versus Germany with 24 points off the seat and along with Gabby Williams breaking the ice on each ends.Has Team United States played its own greatest baseball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, specifically on offense, may still be a problem. There are actually times when the absence of playing time together or Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is actually still obvious. It goes without saying, there's a reason Sue Bird lately stated on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that U.S.A. Baseball is the absolute most unpleasant baseball she has ever before played. After a little a slow-moving beginning, the U.S. ultimately led by 30 in the third one-fourth versus Nigeria, yet Reeve could not have loved just how her staff allowed the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point activity before the ultimate buzzer. By means of four games, the Americans' absence of 3-point shooting have not actually been actually remedied, which may be a problem if opponents fume coming from deep.Team USA can't overlook some of the continuing to be teams in the business, yet with a defensive identification as well as offensive expertise led by Stewart and Wilson, it has presented it may place video games away when it requires to, something that should transmit over right into the final 2 games.Pelton: On the other hand, I assume the shooting is also reason to strongly believe there's an additional equipment for the USA girls. Together, the 12 gamers on the lineup have actually incorporated to shoot 33% on 3-point tries in the WNBA this time. That will not earn a "Sprinkle Sisters" label any time quickly, however it is actually additionally far better than Staff United States has actually managed from the briefer 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually past due to warm from long variation. Keep an eye out if they ultimately do.