.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers women's college basketball and also the WNBA.Previously covered UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sunlight for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad as well as Baltimore native along with additional encounter at the Dallas Early Morning News, Seattle Times and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Elder Author Co-author, Pro Basketball Program series.Formerly a specialist along with the Indiana Pacers.Created WARP ranking and also SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo worldwide competitors are going to reunite on Friday, as the United States ladies's baseball staff goes up against the Australian Opals along with a spot in the 2024 Paris Games' gold award suit on the line.Team United States, which is actually riding a streak of 59 consecutive Olympic victories, advanced to the semifinals along with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Complying with an upset reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung with each other three upright triumphes, including Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal decision over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the united state females have actually been the gold criterion for baseball all over the world, gaining 7 consecutive Olympic gold medals and nine general, Australia has been actually a historic giant alongside them. The Opals have medaled in 5 of the past seven Summer Gamings, taking home three silvers and also 2 bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris denotes the very first time they have actually developed past the quarterfinals due to the fact that the 2012 London Games.2012 also was actually the final time the epic Lauren Jackson wore on the Olympic phase for the eco-friendly as well as gold-- previously. While Team USA has 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, showing up in her 5th Video games and also first in 12 years. Jackson has actually always medaled in the competition, as well as though she has actually viewed limited action so far in France, she has a possibility to continue that touch this weekend.Australia-- which boasts 6 active WNBA players-- has a lot of energy, but the Opals are 0-20 all time versus the U.S. elderly national crew, including 0-8 in Olympic competitors. During the course of the five Video games through which they medaled, Australia shed to the united state either in the semifinals or even the gold medal competition. The teams last satisfied in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and Kevin Pelton malfunction a few of the pressing inquiries heading in to the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit ratings Jackie Young for jump-starting Team USABreanna Stewart chats along with Brian Windhorst after Team U.S.A.'s 14-point win over Nigeria to advance to the semifinals.Team United States shifted up its starting 5 versus Nigeria, along with Jackie Young in place of Diana Taurasi. Performed the technique fix its own concerns in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Young in place of Taurasi-- who possessed final come off the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was the best relocation. With 15 factors against Nigeria, Youthful seems taking a job as Group U.S.A.'s 3rd marker responsible for A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart. (Certainly, Young is actually the only various other USA player averaging double designs at 10.3 points every activity.) Youthful, among three Sin city Aces players in the starting five, exhibited her 3-point shooting earlier against Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless from deeper on Wednesday, it was her potential to obtain downhill and also reach coming from midrange that stood out, together with her hallmark protection in the backcourt. It took till the middle of the second quarter for the USA to actually place its feet on the gasoline against Nigeria, but Youthful's aggression and also energy on both ends should continue to return. As well as Taurasi seemed to be to accomplish well off the bench, where she stepped up as a company with 4 assists.Pelton: I 'd love to see starting point player Chelsea Gray be a threat to credit rating. She missed all three of her shot attempts in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 thus far during the course of the Olympics. Incredibly, the U.S. outscored Nigeria through just pair of factors in Gray's 17:27, while all four various other beginners possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or even much better while on the court.Still, as I mentioned in our final roundtable, the united state females can easily get over one non-scorer in the starting five as long as she is actually carrying another thing to the desk. And Gray is along with her playmaking, having now amounted to 22 assists against simply 3 turn overs. So, I don't presume train Cheryl Reeve needs to have to make further changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE by means of Getty ImagesWhat issues carry out the Australians present, and what might make them a hard matchup?Top stories of the week from Acquire special access to countless premium articles a year from leading article writers. u2022 Solak: Interesting NFL QB sophomore lesson "u2022 MLB: Epic AL MVP war, other honors "u2022 25 most important gamers in CFP race" More ESPN+ material ".Philippou: WNBA followers are going to be well familiar with this Opals squad, which includes the Seattle Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Triggers' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne and also Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus The big apple Freedom trainer Sandy Brondello at the helm. Certainly not simply do the Opals have the ability to complete against Group United States. They have drive as well as fix observing their unsatisfactory beginning to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been actually satisfied along with her staff's grace and also guts over recent week, two premiums a challenger needs to have when dealing with the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced assault flaunts five gamers balancing a minimum of 8.0 PPG, can injure opponents inside along with Magbegor and also Johnson but likewise coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the best in the Olympic industry as well as considerably higher than Team USA's puny 30.8%. Whitcomb as well as Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while along with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the group with 8 as well as 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: Abstractly, Australia is actually much deeper and a lot more proficient than any sort of group in the business save for the USA females. Our company can easily debate the most effective international player at the Paris Gamings, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and Satou Sabally (Germany) as tough applicants. But no team possesses a pair of players comparable to the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Johnson, each of whom would possess performed my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was not named to the crew this period in spite of comparable development.) And no staff outside the U.S. possesses nearly as much WNBA experience throughout its own roster.Given all that talent, it was surprising when Australia dropped its own position video game to Nigeria then barely defeat winless Canada. In their past pair of activities, our team have actually seen the Opals our team counted on, as they defeat outdoed France to advance to the knockout phase as well as led Serbia by as several as 28 in an unbalanced quarterfinal victory.A' Ja meals to Stewie for three. LeBron approves. United States System and also Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 May anybody quit Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. But if any individual is actually mosting likely to include them, it's the duo of Magbegor and also Johnson. Australia's article players position second (Magbegor, 2.4) and 4th (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every video game as well as have the movement to speak up for Stewart and also Wilson on the border. Magbegor is specifically experienced versus each challengers, having encountered Stewart in practice for 3 years as Tornado allies as well as paired up along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The largest barrier for Magbegor and Johnson is repulsive issue. Magbegor picked up three first-half fouls versus Canada, and Smith had two in the very first one-fourth versus France, confining their moments. Back-up George is actually a challenging, knowledgeable player (she racked up 18 points in 24 mins versus Serbia) yet nowhere near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up an authentic issue. However provided the take in Stewart and also Wilson have at this phase-- Stewart is actually choosing her 3rd Olympic gold as well as Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor as well as Johnson are actually seeming in their initial Games-- I would certainly count on the Crew United States extremely duo to help make the winning participates in necessary in such a high-pressure situation to breakthrough to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and also Belgium would certainly be a tougher opponent for Group USA?Pelton: I'm choosing Belgium, which provided the USA women their hardest Olympic examination however. The Americans dominated through 13 points, although the margin was actually just 7 entering into the 4th quarter of a team stage video game played in Lille, France, near the borderline along with Belgium. All this regardless of Belgium going only 5-of-27 in 3-point shooting, along with Julie Vanloo especially struggling coming from downtown while missing 10 of her 11 attempts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 coming from 3, racking up 13 points along with 7 supports (albeit along with 9 turnovers) as Belgium travelled previous Spain, the only other crew besides the united state that was actually unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the host nation along with the group on its own edge and also lots of honor on the line, a challenging protective crew in France definitely would not be actually a pushover, either, specifically if Marine Johannes may go off like she did against Germany with 24 points off the bench and along with Gabby Williams breaking the ice on each ends.Has Staff United States played its best baseball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, particularly on offense, can still be actually an issue. There are actually opportunities when the shortage of participating in opportunity with each other or Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is actually still apparent. It goes without saying, there's a main reason why Sue Bird recently pointed out on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that USA Baseball is actually the most unpleasant basketball she has ever before played. After a little bit of a sluggish beginning, the USA eventually led through 30 in the third fourth versus Nigeria, however Reeve couldn't have loved how her team permitted the D'Tigress to make it a 14-point video game just before the last buzzer. Via four games, the Americans' shortage of 3-point firing have not actually been solved, which might be a problem if enemies fume from deep.Team USA can not neglect any one of the continuing to be staffs in the business, yet with a defensive identification as well as aggressive prowess led by Stewart and Wilson, it has revealed it can put video games away when it needs to have to, one thing that needs to transmit over into the ultimate 2 games.Pelton: On the flip side, I think the firing is also explanation to strongly believe there's another equipment for the united state girls. Jointly, the 12 players on the lineup have actually blended to fire thirty three% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this time. That will not gain a "Dash Sisters" nickname whenever very soon, however it's likewise better than Staff United States has dealt with from the shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually past due to heat coming from long selection. Look out if they ultimately carry out.