.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers women's university basketball and also the WNBA.Recently dealt with UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad and Baltimore native along with additional experience at the Dallas Morning Information, Seattle Times as well as Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Citizen Writer Co-author, Pro Basketball Syllabus set.In the past a specialist along with the Indiana Pacers.Established WARP score and also SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo international rivals will definitely reunite on Friday, as the United States females's baseball crew takes on the Australian Opals along with a place in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold award match on the line.Team USA, which is riding a touch of 59 consecutive Olympic wins, developed to the semifinals along with an 88-74 overcome Nigeria on Wednesday. Complying with an upset reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung with each other 3 straight triumphes, featuring Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal choice over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the united state girls have actually been actually the gold specification for baseball across the world, succeeding seven consecutive Olympic gold awards and also nine overall, Australia has been a historic giant along with them. The Opals have actually medaled in five of the past 7 Summer Gamings, take away three silvers and also two bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris notes the first time they have actually advanced past the quarterfinals due to the fact that the 2012 London Games.2012 additionally was actually the final time the fabulous Lauren Jackson suited up on the Olympic stage for the environment-friendly and gold-- until now. While Staff USA possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, showing up in her fifth Gamings as well as first in 12 years. Jackson has actually constantly medaled in the competitors, as well as though she has actually found minimal action until now in France, she possesses an odds to proceed that streak this weekend.Australia-- which boasts 6 active WNBA players-- has loads of drive, yet the Opals are 0-20 perpetuity versus the USA senior national team, including 0-8 in Olympic competitors. Throughout the 5 Gamings in which they medaled, Australia lost to the U.S. either in the semifinals or even the gold award contest. The squads final fulfilled in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and Kevin Pelton break down several of the pressing inquiries moving right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit ratings Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Group USABreanna Stewart talks with Brian Windhorst after Team USA's 14-point draw Nigeria to advance to the semifinals.Team USA changed up its beginning five versus Nigeria, along with Jackie Youthful instead of Diana Taurasi. Performed the move fix its problems in the backcourt?Philippou: Starting Youthful in place of Taurasi-- that possessed last come off the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was the best step. With 15 points against Nigeria, Youthful appears to be taking a job as Crew U.S.A.'s 3rd marker behind A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart. (Definitely, Youthful is the simply other U.S. player balancing dual figures at 10.3 aspects per activity.) Youthful, among 3 Sin city Aces players in the starting 5, exhibited her 3-point capturing earlier against Germany, going 5-of-8. However while she went scoreless from deep on Wednesday, it was her ability to get downhill as well as strike coming from midrange that stood apart, along with her hallmark protection in the backcourt. It took until the middle of the second one-fourth for the USA to really put its own foot on the fuel against Nigeria, yet Youthful's hostility and power on both ends need to remain to return. And Taurasi seemed to be to carry out effectively off the bench, where she improved as a company with 4 assists.Pelton: I will enjoy to view beginning point player Chelsea Gray be actually a risk to rating. She missed all 3 of her chance efforts in the quarterfinals, carrying Gray to 1-of-13 up until now in the course of the Olympics. Remarkably, the U.S. outscored Nigeria through simply pair of factors in Gray's 17:27, while all four other starters had a plus-minus of plus-17 or far better while on the court.Still, as I stated in our final roundtable, the USA females can easily get over one non-scorer in the beginning five such a long time as she is carrying another thing to the desk. As well as Gray is actually along with her playmaking, having actually now amounted to 22 aids against only three turn overs. Thus, I do not think train Cheryl Reeve requires to create more changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty ImagesWhat troubles do the Australians present, and also what could create all of them a tough matchup?Top stories of the full week from Acquire special access to thousands of costs articles a year from best article writers. u2022 Solak: Interesting NFL QB sophomore lesson "u2022 MLB: Epic AL MVP struggle, various other awards "u2022 25 most important gamers in CFP ethnicity" Even more ESPN+ content ".Philippou: WNBA enthusiasts will certainly be actually properly accustomed to this Opals team, which features the Seattle Tornado's Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Sparks' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne and Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus New York Right coach Sandy Brondello at the helm. Not merely perform the Opals possess the ability to contend against Crew USA. They have momentum and also resolve observing their disappointing begin to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been satisfied with her team's grace as well as guts over recent week, 2 top qualities a challenger requires when experiencing the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced assault boasts five players averaging a minimum of 8.0 PPG, may hurt enemies inside along with Magbegor as well as Johnson but additionally from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the best in the Olympic area as well as a lot greater than Staff United States's paltry 30.8%. Whitcomb and Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the crew with eight as well as 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: Abstractly, Australia is much deeper as well as extra accomplished than any group in the field barring the U.S. girls. Our team can easily dispute the most ideal international player at the Paris Video Games, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and Satou Sabally (Germany) as strong prospects. Yet no crew possesses a set of gamers as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Johnson, both of whom will possess been on my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was not named to the team this season even with similar production.) And no crew outside the united state possesses almost as much WNBA expertise throughout its own roster.Given all that skill, it was actually surprising when Australia dropped its own opening activity to Nigeria at that point rarely trump winless Canada. In their previous two activities, our company've seen the Opals we anticipated, as they defeat outdoed France to advance to the knockout stage and led Serbia through as many as 28 in an uneven quarterfinal victory.A' Ja recipes to Stewie for 3. LeBron permits. United States System as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 May any person stop Breanna Stewart and also A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. But if anybody is actually visiting have all of them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson. Australia's message players rate 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) and fourth (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every activity as well as have the movement to stand up for Stewart as well as Wilson on the perimeter. Magbegor is specifically experienced versus each rivals, having dealt with Stewart virtual for 3 years as Storm colleagues as well as matched up along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The greatest obstacle for Magbegor and also Smith is actually nasty issue. Magbegor grabbed three first-half fouls against Canada, as well as Smith possessed 2 in the first one-fourth versus France, limiting their mins. Data backup George is actually a tough, skillful gamer (she scored 18 factors in 24 minutes versus Serbia) however no place near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up a legitimate problem. Yet given the experience Stewart and also Wilson contend this phase-- Stewart is actually going for her third Olympic gold and Wilson her second, while Magbegor and also Smith are seeming in their very first Gamings-- I will count on the Group U.S.A. very duo to produce the winning participates in essential in such a high-pressure situation to advance to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and Belgium will be actually a more durable enemy for Team USA?Pelton: I am actually choosing Belgium, which provided the USA women their most difficult Olympic examination yet. The Americans prevailed by 13 aspects, although the frame was actually simply 7 entering the fourth quarter of a team stage game played in Lille, France, near the border with Belgium. All this even with Belgium going simply 5-of-27 in 3-point capturing, with Julie Vanloo specifically having a hard time from downtown while overlooking 10 of her 11 tries. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 coming from 3, racking up thirteen factors with 7 assists (albeit along with 9 turnovers) as Belgium travelled previous Spain, the only various other team besides the united state that was unbeaten in pool play.Philippou: As the lot nation with the group on its edge and loads of take pride in on the line, a complicated protective team in France would not be actually a piece of cake, either, especially if Marine Johannes may go off like she performed versus Germany along with 24 aspects off the bench and also along with Gabby Williams breaking the ice on both ends.Has Crew U.S.A. played its ideal baseball yet?Philippou: In-game uniformity, especially on outburst, can still be actually an issue. There are actually opportunities when the lack of playing opportunity with each other or even Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is actually still noticeable. After all, there's a main reason why Sue Bird recently stated on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that U.S.A. Basketball is actually the best uneasy basketball she has ever before participated in. After a bit of a sluggish start, the USA eventually led by 30 in the 3rd fourth against Nigeria, however Reeve couldn't have liked how her crew permitted the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point video game just before the final buzzer. Via four games, the Americans' lack of 3-point shooting have not truly been solved, which may be a problem if opponents fume from deep.Team USA can not disregard some of the staying groups in the field, but along with a defensive identification and also aggressive adeptness led by Stewart and also Wilson, it has revealed it can place activities away when it requires to, something that must transfer over in to the last two games.Pelton: On the flip side, I presume the firing is actually also main reason to feel there is actually one more equipment for the USA women. Jointly, the 12 gamers on the roster have actually integrated to shoot thirty three% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this season. That will not earn a "Dash Siblings" nickname any time quickly, however it's also better than Staff U.S.A. has actually dealt with from the much shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually outstanding to warm up from long variation. Keep an eye out if they ultimately perform.